The Nuuruhuine
by phoenix catcher
Summary: Complete. Harry/OMC-Alex. Vampire:Harry. Harry and his elite team are thrown into Middle Earth two thousand years before the fellowship to start a new life in a strange world. Will be followed by a sequel.
1. Chaotic Magic

The Nuuruhuine

Introducing my new story. This is my first attempt at a crossover between Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. As always I do not own anything you recognise whether it is Harry Potter related or Middle Earth related. Also this is slash, but as with my other slash story it wont be graphic.

I will be posting this as a Harry Potter story as he is the main character but I will only say this once, it will not have much to do with the Harry Potter world. If anyone thinks that I should change it and put it is the Lord of the Rings sections since that is where it is based please let me know.

Chapter 1; Chaotic Magic

Two hundred years had passed since the death of the Dark Lord Voldermort and with his death everything had changed for that seventeen year old boy, Harry Potter. His true lineage, his true parents and his true home all came to light with the breaking of a single curse placed on his by the mortal world on the day of his birth.

Harry Potter never really existed, the man was there but he wasn't a human like his supposed parents, James and Lily Potter. He was a Lamia, a born Vampire. His parents were two Lords of the Immortal world. Not that he had ever met them.

Upon his defeat of Voldermort the curse, placed on him by the mortal wizards at his birth, was broken. His true nature was allowed to come into being and not surprisingly his friends had apprehended him and locked him up for the good of all humans. His creation hadn't gone unnoticed though, the sheer power encased in his soul was detected by the Vampire council when it cried out for help and they broke him out. Trained him and gave him his parents estates even though they had been killed in the ongoing war between the Vampires and the Necromancers.

Harry made friends and allies in the years to come, all trained to be the best at their job. Killing Necromancers. His team were named The Nuuruhuine, and over the last two hundred years of war their reputation had grown and grown so that even the mortal worlds knew of their existence and feared them. And most of all everyone knew of the Vampire that led them, Duke Harry Corvil, and they knew his history as the Vampire that overturned the Ministries of Magic and turned the knowledge of all the magical worlds to the vast population of the mundane.

**Scottish Highlands; Former location of Hogwarts school**

"How's it feel to be back here after two hundred years, Harry?" Alexander, Harry's best friend, lover, confidante, and second in command of the Nuuruhuine, whispered into his ear, his voice barely carrying, even to Nicole and Patia to their sides.

The twenty members of the Nuuruhuine lay hidden on a ridge top looking down over a fight between the Wizards of Hogsmeade and a group of Necromancers. In the distance lay the two hundred year old ruins of what was once the wizards' greatest school of Magic.

"It's been two hundred years since these people betrayed me, nobody of their kind remembers what happened." Harry shrugged though only Alexander could hear his worlds. "I'm over it."

A dark form settled down to Harry's right cutting him off. Harry knew who it was just at the feel of his mind. "What's the matter, Archie?" He asked their psychic expert, the only one that could still break Harry's shield, though with a lot of work.

"The waves of magic coming off of Hogwarts are really chaotic and stronger than anything I have seen in my life." All those in Harry's team were around his own age. Jesu was the eldest at fifty years over Harry's own two hundred and seventeen whilst Lex was only one hundred and fifty. But compared to some of the Ancients that were almost three thousand year old or more they were extremely young but Harry had something that no other Vampire had. He had the ability to control magic.

Harry's control of magic was what had forced his real parents to give him up at birth to the Wizarding world so that he could gain some control over his powers. The Ancients had known that it would be Harry who defeated Voldermort so had planted the fake prophecy to ensure that Harry was looked after properly. They had had no idea that it would blow up in such a way.

Harry pulled up some night vision goggles and looked over the sight before them. The Wizards were slowly being pushed back by the Necromancer's legions of undead but as Harry watched hundreds of bright red lasers flashed out from a ridge on the other side of town to them.

"That would be the Special Branch." Alex muttered referring to a section of the Muggle army designed to combat any magical threats. Out of all the races occupying Earth, the Muggles had become one of the most powerful, they had expanded onto other worlds through space travel and other than for special reasons they did not allow any of the other races to join them. Harry and his team had gone with a new space cruiser to a world overrun with undead to help clear it.

The Muggles' shots were cutting through the ranks of Undead and allowing the Wizards to regain lost ground pushing the Necromancers back as they retreated towards the Castle ruins.

"Looks like Mika was right when he said that Hogwarts was probably their base." Alexander muttered to Harry before continuing, "Not surprising with all the dead buried there." Harry true to his word, barely flinched at this even though most of the dead there were participants of the final battle where Harry had killed Voldermort.

Harry concentrated on his telepathy, even though none of the Vampire could control magic like Harry that didn't mean that they weren't magical in nature anyway, Harry had to slip between all of their mental shields. Though this task was an easy one for him after so long.

"_Move out, we'll sneak into Hogwarts grounds and ambush them there." _Harry commanded before slipping away from the ledge and running with the others in small groups towards the castle. With him were Alexander, Archie, Nicole and Patia, but only because they were the closest to him on the ledge.

It only took five minutes of running before they had covered the couple of miles to the ruins and, after killing a few undead sentries, they took up positions to ambush the ten Necromancers in what Harry recognised as being the Great Hall.

Harry waited, getting irritated by the effect the chaotic magic was having on his own control, as the small group of Necromancers plus their guard slowly approached. He felt a nudge against his mental shields before a precise one second gap and to more quick nudges; the secret sign of one of his Nuuruhuines wanting to talk to him. He allowed them entrance though didn't drop his mental shields.

"_Harry?" _He recognised the essence as being Vata, a female Vampire of Harry's exact age that had precognitive abilities, nothing like visions, more like feelings. "_I have a feeling that something big is about to happen?"_

"_Something bad?" _Harry asked.

"_I don't think so, at least I don't think anyone will be hurt." _She explained.

"_Any idea who to?" _Harry asked worried.

"_I think that it will happen to all of us."_

Harry thought for a moment before stretching his mind out to all of his troops. He never risked them if he could help him and this wasn't an exception so he explained the warning to them all and asked for anyone that didn't want to stay.

It was Alexander that spoke after a silence. Using Harry's already formed link to everyone to allow everyone to listen. "_I think I speak for everyone, like always, when I say that whatever you decide we'll back you on."_

They waited the further two minutes before the Necromancers unknowingly placed themselves in the centre of the best killers in the Vampire world, all of which were carefully hidden behind debris or behind elaborate illusions cast by the four Vampires capable of such a feat; Harry, Gabi, Mila and Phillip.

Harry connected to everyone's mind again like he always did in a fight, it allowed everyone in his team to call for help without breaking their respective fighting styles and after waiting a few more seconds for everyone to get used to the small intrusion he sent them the signal to attack.

Even as the illusions dropped half of the guard of zombies and skeletons fell to attacks, either by enchanted arrows, physical attacks or in the case of a couple magical attacks like Nicole's and Anthony's who could both drain life with only a touch.

Harry straightened a took aim with his own bow putting an enchanted arrow through the head of a large troll zombie. He watched as lightning erupted from Alex's hands and slammed into three of the skeletons. That was why Alex and Harry had become so close, he was a lightning elemental enabling him to defend against Harry's Animagus when it went into a rage.

"_Nacraemeus is here!" _Came an almost panicked cry from a small group to Harry's left even as he watched as three of his Vampires.

Harry jumped into the air with Alexander and Patia at his side, a shield, forming from Patia, covering them from assault by the Necromancers spells. They landed a few metres from the leader of the Necromancers.

"Fancy seeing you here, Nacraemeus!" Harry jested, just as the last of the undead body guards fell. The battle however paused almost as if sides were being drawn, though Harry knew that his Vampires weren't daft enough to allow time like this to be wasted and already a few were either moving into better attack positions or using the shadows in the setting sun to disappear from sight and ready surprise attacks.

"Lord Corvil!" The Necromancer spat, "So these must be the legendary Death Shadows that I've heard so much about. You little game ends here though."

Harry moved like a blur, he knew that already Nacraemeus had been killed twice by Vampires and once again by the Muggles, but Harry had never had a shot. His hand burst into pure white flames as he slashed his hands across the man chest. The flames latched onto the man but even as they did a huge explosion of power swept across the ruins and the chaotic magic compressed into a small bubble around the Nuuruhuines and then like a popping bubble vanished.

A lifeless ruin of a two hundred year destroyed school of magic was all that was left after the disturbance but none would ever know what had occurred in that place that day but they were all gone, vanished from Earth forever.


	2. The Madness of Bree

The Nuuruhuine

Chapter 2; The Madness of Bree

**Middle Earth; Northern Wastes**

Harry Corvil open his eyes as he woke, not in the least groggy as was the way with Vampires. He expanded his senses before he bothered to look around, knowing that his magic would sense so much more than his eyes and ears.

His consciousness brushed many others in the area, all familiar to him as members of the Nuuruhuine. Even as his eyes circled the large plain that they were lying in he felt the others' minds awakening to his mental touch. Their own consciousnesses stretching out in their turn. He pulled himself into a crouch and looked around the area.

They had reappeared in broad daylight in the middle of a huge plain. It was cold but to a group of Vampires it was nothing. Harry could just about make out a large body of water to the West, possible a large body of water. There was another water mass just south of that that Harry guessed might be a bay of some kind. The North told of nothing but more land, but Harry could make out the shadow of mountains to the East but they were further away than the water to the East.

"Bloody Hell!" Mika cried, "What happened?"

"I don't know." Harry replied, looking around at everyone watching either him or the area around them. "Is everyone ok?"

Nobody spoke up to say they were hurt but Harry suddenly realised something. "Where is Alex?" Everyone started around, looking at each other.

"Lex is missing too." Lex's wife, Nicole cried in semi panic. Patia went to help calm her down.

"Anyone else missing?" Harry asked the group.

"Archie and Anthony are gone." Jesu muttered.

"And Mila." Harry added, working out another missing person.

"Archie, Anthony, Lex and Mila were fighting together at the end. Maybe they were left behind?" Mika suggested. "I don't know about Alex though."

Harry frowned and sat on the ground, slipping into a trance and shutting his eyes. He linked his mind with all of those in his team like he always did with missions. Then systematically removed everyone in the immediate area. Eventually there were only five left. The missing members.

"They are here." Harry told the others standing up. "Where ever here is." A few chuckles echoed his words but they were half hearted at best.

"Whatever brought us here, left nothing to trace it again." Noman, a vampire that could sense magical essences, told Harry.

"I know of nothing that could repeat the event that brought us here." Mika mentioned referring to the Chaotic energy around Hogwarts.

"Then what do we do?" Patia asked.

"We start new." Harry told his fourteen remaining members. "Whatever sent us here, sent us somewhere where there is nobody for hundreds of miles."

"What about Lex, and the others?" Nicole asked. "We don't know this world. How are we going to track them down?"

"_We're_ not. It was my spell that triggered this. You will all work on building us somewhere to live. Explore the area, draw maps, do recon. I will track down the others and bring them back." Harry told them all seriously.

"Shouldn't someone go with you?" Patia asked.

"I can travel faster on my own. Plus, we don't know what is out there and I don't want to split our force up anymore than necessary in case we make an enemy."

"You think that likely?" Mika asked.

"We're Vampires, there is always someone out there that wants us dead. No matter which world." Harry sighed. "Speaking of which, stick to feeding off of animals for the time being, unless you find a small village where you wont get spotted. You know my rules."

"We know." Jesu took command, pulling the group in.

Harry listened in as Jesu split the group up for different assignments. Patia and Mika unsheathed their wings to take to the sky to get a better look of the area. Others followed in different directions looking for supplies and a place to start work on their home. Harry smiled widely at the sight. His team were a team because they had one thing in common, not one of them had a real home. Most had families but not one of them really fit in with their kin. This world was a chance to start knew, make their own families and lives.

Harry brought out his black and forest green wings. All of the Lamia, the born Vampires, had wings. It was what split the made and the born apart. The darker the wing colour the more magic in the vampire. The easily ten foot wing span lifted Harry into the air. In truth it was impossible to lift a human on wings that small but with the gift of the Vampires they could bend gravity. The wings just allowed them better control.

Harry reached enough height not to risk anyone else and began to morph, changing in a hail of lightning into his Animagus form. His Thunderbird for screeched as Harry reigned in its instinct and dark storm clouds began to form above him. Harry pulled the magic in carefully so that none of his Vampires were harmed and turned towards the south to look for civilisation.

**Six hours later**

Harry had spent the day following a line of moderately high hills and as the sun set he saw a small town on the southern point of the hills. He flew towards it as the sun set and landed morphed into his human form as he landed on the outskirts under the cover of darkness and a small rain storm courtesy of his arrival as a Thunderbird.

He slipped through the outlying forest to what looked to be a farm and stables on the main road. He only sensed one life inside so slipped through an open window on the ground floor.

In the kitchen a woman slaved away at a wood burning stove. Harry slipped into the room silently and around to a shadow formed by the semi open door. He watched her as she worked recognising her as a mortal human. At least some things were the same in this world.

Harry and his team only had to feed once a fortnight to survive as long as they weren't using their Vampiric abilities, like their healing powers or memory altering abilities and to a lesser extent their increased agility and strength. Harry, however wasn't going to waste an opportunity to replenish his supply when he had a human on their own like this.

In one graceful move he darted forwards, knocked her out with a well placed mental suggestion and sunk his elongated canines into her neck. He drunk his fill whilst wiping the memory of the event from her memory. As far as she would know, she blacked out whilst cooking and woke up on the ground.

As soon as he pulled out his teeth he let he fall to the ground so that it didn't look like she was placed there and started to search the house for anything that might tell him about this world.

Finding nothing of use he left the building and took to the woods again making sure not to leave any tracks. His victim would be found by her family when they returned and hopefully they'd be smart enough to make her stay in bed for a few days.

Harry followed the road as it weaved south through open fields, using his Vampire vision to follow the dirt path against the grassy land to either side. Within a few hours he saw a light in the distance and after another few minutes of flying it turned into the windows of a building. He morphed again into his normal form and settled in the treeline as near to the building or inn as possible. The window was open as the men inside drunk and sun.

He listened for an hour, just trying to find out anything about his new world, when he distinguished an interesting conversation from the babble.

"_Who are we going to sell this wheat to?" _One man was asking.

"_Definitely not Bree. That place was just creepy." _Another responded.

Another man joined the conversation. "_What do you mean? I was in Bree just two days ago and everything was normal."_

"_It was weird, we go there every year to sell off our excess wheat. The gates were shut and bolted, even in the middle of the day and we could here screaming and fighting from the inside." _The second man responded.

"_Unsurprisingly, we did a runner." _The first laughed.

Harry grinned, that was just Archie's style. Whenever captured or annoyed he'd use his psychic gifts to warp the minds of everyone in the area that couldn't shield from it. Harry knew though that there was no way that Archie could escape then, as he only used that strategy if he couldn't.

He listened as the men told someone that they were going to return north to their town and he smirked again as he brought out his wings and leapt into the sky, this time travelling in his Vampire form so that he could contact Archie.

What he met as he got closer to the larger town of Bree though was complete Chaos, both mentally and physically. Small fires were spreading across rooftops as people ran around the streets screaming about winged monsters attacking them.

Harry laughed as he landed in the middle of the chaos causing more screams as the mortals ran from him in panic. Harry figured that Archie was making them see Vampires attacking them, and whilst that probably wasn't good for their as yet un heard of reputation it was good for Harry as he didn't have to hide as he made his way to the only stone built structure in the town.

"Come on men, we have to kill it!" One man yelled as he waved his halberd at a locked door.

Harry heard a man from behind the door yelling. "Those creatures are trying to get in. Brace the door!" Harry laughed. Archie had a group of humans protecting him by making them believe that the other humans were Vampires.

His laugh made the five men battering the door swing around. Harry extended his wings to their full length sending a bystander, who was attacking another man, flying into a wooden hut.

"What the hell are you!?" One man got up the courage to ask, though he looked like he was about to die of a heart attack.

"Me?" Harry asked in faked confusion. "I am a Vampire." He bared his fangs to make his point, though he doubted they had a clue what they were. He was sure that they could work out what the fangs were for.

"What do you want with us?" One man yelled.

"What did we ever do to you?" Another yelled brandishing a sword.

Harry laughed again. "I'm not here for you. I'm here for the one you locked up." He sneered. "Now move before I have to kill you."

A man rushed him with a knife and with a roll of his eyes he smacked the man in the side of the head with his right wing sending the man into the small fence around the stone building.

The others all rushed him at once and with a small sigh Harry knocked aside the Halberd and Sword with his arms being careful of the sharp blades. He knocked those two out with sharp punches to their heads and then with a wave of magic sent the last two into a deep sleep.

With a chuckle at the now unconscious mortals he recalled his wings and smashed the door in with a couple of well placed Vampire-fueled kicks to the lock. He strolled over the three bodies inside the door, probably the people bracing the door from within. The dungeon wasn't large with only a couple of cells but in the first was Archie.

"Archie!" Harry called in shock when he saw his friends face. "What the hell did they do to you!?" Archie's face was bloody and bruised and Harry could sense that his body was craving blood because of all the damage to his body. And since he had so little blood to spare his wounds weren't healing.

Harry yanked with his magic tearing the cell bars off with so much anger that the embedded themselves into the stone wall opposite. Harry ran to Archie's side and broke through the chains on his wrists and ankles.

"Drink, Archie!" Harry told him as he held his exposed wrist under the weakened Vampires mouth, holding his head to it with his other hand. He waited as Archie stirred out of his mental state that control the masses outside and then felt the twin sting in his arm that told him that Archie was drinking his blood.

"Thanks, Harry." Archie whispered as he pulled back, licking the wound to heal it. "I woke up in here earlier today, they'd already done a number on me. They came back later to interrogate me and beat me when I didn't tell them anything."

"It's ok, the guards are still alive. We can replenish our supplies and then head out." They did just that, still making sure not to kill the mortals. They left town the same way that Harry had entered.

"When is that going to wear off?" Harry asked with a smirk.

"Sunrise." Archie laughed and Harry joined him as they flew off together.

"Head North from here, follow the road till you reach a line of hills. Follow them till you can call the others." Harry directed.

"Are they all ok?" Archie asked.

"All but Alex, Lex, Mila and Anthony who appeared elsewhere like you did." Harry sighed. "They are 'moving in' up North while I find the missing."

With that Archie headed North whilst Harry headed East along one of the four roads that intersected with Bree.

A/N; Anyone that would like to see the map of Middle Earth that I am using should check the link in my profile. The area that Harry and the others appeared in was at the North of the map just East of 'Ice Bay.'


	3. Meeting the Elves

The Nuuruhuine

Chapter 3; Meeting the Elves

**Rivendell**

'Ok, so Elves are real.' Harry thought in awe as he crouched on a building ledge in the middle of such a beautiful city in such a beautiful valley that he didn't know that he would ever want to leave again.

He had been tracking on foot for a week now, heading steadily east talking to everyone he came across. He had found a couple of traders that had passed on a rumour about elves travelling through a forest called Trollshaws to the East. Harry had roamed said forest for six days hoping to run across one of these parties of Elves.

He had been lucky to hear them at all. They moved with the same grace as a Vampire and were almost completely silent, they left no tracks behind them unlike Vampires and Harry could sense their immortality as he followed them. Not immortality like Harry's own where he had to drink blood to survive but effortless immortality.

He'd followed this party as it travelled North and then East through the forest and eventually witness them being greeted by a party of differently attired Elves and led into this city. It had amazed Harry that such a city existed when he had seen the run down towns of the mortals. Obviously the Elves had been here for a lot longer than the humans.

"These new creatures are a threat to Middle Earth, never before have we seen creatures such as these." A green clad Elf said to the circle of other Elves below him.

"How do we know that they are such a threat?" Asked an older Elf, though he still looked to be in his forties, Harry knew that probably wasn't the case.

"The one we have in our custody was wounded somehow when it appeared. It's wounds closed easily enough but it remained weak, we tried different foods with it and eventually we gave it a live rabbit which it drained of blood." Another green clad elf stated.

"Elves and Humans kill for food. What decides that they are evil because they drain blood instead of strip it of meat?" The older elf, obviously the leader asked.

"Lord Elrond, what of the situation a week ago in Bree?" A younger Elf asked.

"A group of these creatures attacked Bree and rescued one of their own that the humans captured." Elrond replied.

"The humans managed to capture one?" An elf dressed in white asked.

An elf seated beside Elrond snorted in amusement. "Not likely, the creature appeared unconscious in the middle of their town. From studying the one here I can tell you that they are far beyond even Elves in both speed and agility. No human could hope to overcome one without the advantage of extreme numbers."

Another of Elrond's Elves tutted in sorrow. "From what I gathered they decided to keep it subdued by beating it. It and it's rescuer nearly completely drained two of the guards assigned to watch it."

"But did not kill anyone." Elrond added quietly though everyone heard it.

"Two humans died in that town!" Another Elf cried, though tried to remain respectful.

The sorrowful Elf interrupted, "From human weapons. It looked like they all turned against each other."

"Enough!" Elrond ended the argument. "Prince Legolas?" The leader turned to one of the green clad elves that looked almost foreign when compared to the others.

"Yes, Lord Elrond?" He replied in an unconcerned tone of voice.

"Please send for your captive, we will question them both together." Harry nearly fell off his ledge in shock. He'd found another two of his friends, brought straight to him.

The Prince turned to a waiting servant and sent her on her way whilst another ran off at Lord Elrond's order.

Harry listened as the group below him chattered with each other. Eavesdropping on this group obviously was a good idea as he ended up with the information he most wanted. There were three main centres of Elves in this 'Middle-Earth.' One lived in these mountains in this city called Rivendell, led by Lord Elrond. They had captured a male creature after interrupting a Goblin battle against the thing which 'it' had been losing.

The other two nations were those of Mirkwood to the East, those in green, led here by Prince Legolas. They had captured a female creature whilst she was hunting in their forest. The last place, run by the queen of all Elves was Lothlorien to the South. Though they didn't capture a creature they had come on behalf of another via battered passage through the mines of Moria. A mountain city ran by Dwarfs.

Harry was interrupted from his musings when Mila and then Lex was shoved into the circle followed by their combined fifteen guards which joined the circle at intervals to surround them. Harry wasn't going to risk their lives by going against such odds. Right now he had two Vampires to reassure.

"_Hiya folks." _He grinned as they both jumped at the intrusion but then twin grins spread across their faces, unnoticed by their audience. "_Don't do anything rash. Answer their questions as truthfully as you can, but don't mention where we're from. I'll rescue you when it gets dark."_

He received affirmatives through their limited telepathy just as the council finished exclaiming over the dirty and exhausted creatures before them.

"Do you know what we are?" Elrond asked, standing to show he was the one to interrogate them.

Mila glanced at Lex to see if he knew but he just shook his head. "You are Elves, I heard a guard mention it on the way here." She said calmly.

"What are you then?" He continued.

"What do you plan to do with us once this is over?" Lex interrupted tiredly.

"Answer the question or we'll kill you now!" One of the younger looking Mirkwood Elves yelled.

Mila glared at the Elf making him flinch but the other Elves just glared back. She sighed. "We are Vampires." She told Elrond simply.

"What does that mean exactly?" He asked curiously.

"We just are. Why does being an Elf mean?" She asked with a shrug.

"Elves are the supreme species on Middle-Earth." The young Mirkwood Elf said rather pompously. "We are more agile and stronger than the mortals. Our senses are better attuned and we live beyond the counting of mortals."

"Then we are more of less the same." Lex told them.

"More or less?" Elrond prompted.

They both paused unsure what to say. "_You may as well tell them. They already know of the need for blood and they will find our wings eventually."_

Mila made a show of sighing again. "We require a supply of blood to survive. Small amounts normally, however our healing is greatly advanced with a larger supply. However we do not need to kill our prey to feed off of them and most never remember."

Elrond nodded even as most of the group made disgusted sounds. "Does it matter what you take it from?"

"No, as long as it can carry oxygen. Though humanoid blood last far longer. We only need a fifth of the blood when taking from a human." Lex explained.

"What else?" Elrond prompted, sensing that they were not mentioning something.

This time Mila smirked. "Elves cannot fly?"

"Of course not!" A middle aged Elf, by looks, exclaimed.

Mila lifted a weak arm to motion Lex forward. Harry frowned realising with a jolt that the Elves had weakened her so much that she was too weak to even withdraw her wings. Lex seemed to realise too as he frowned at her calculatingly, concern evident. She pushed him forwards and with a frown he withdrew his white wings. He was one of three of Harry's Vampires that had no magical ability and therefore had pure white wings.

His ten foot spanning wings flexed as they finally got their freedom after a week of captivity. The assembled Elves gasped and some of the ones already standing stepped back even as some of those seated stood. Lex quickly refolded his wings but didn't pull them in and Harry realised that Lex was running out of energy also.

Elrond gathered his wits first. "What of others of your kind? Our kin from Lothlorien bring word that Saruman the White holds one of kind captive in his Tower. Could this be true?"

"Possible," Lex responded, "We have not seen another of our kind since arriving in this world." He told them truthfully.

"Have you finished interrogating us?" Mila snapped as they began to mutter between themselves, words like unnatural ringing out from the murmuring. "If you are we are both of us in need of food."

"You mean blood?" Another young Elf spat in disgust. "Why should we give you it?"

"If we do not drink then we will both be dead within the day." Lex told Elrond, facing him squarely.

"We can not give you what we seek." The Lord told them firmly.

"We cannot allow such a creature to roam freely across the world. This disease will spread!" Another Elf spat.

A riot of shouting started but it was directed at each other. All there seemed to want the same thing; the death of the two abominations.

Elrond sighed as if this wasn't what he wanted but he had no choice. Harry made a note to remember the Elf's reluctance for future reference as well as the Prince of Mirkwood's silence in the shouting.

"We will adjourn for supper. There fate will be discuss after we eat." A crack of lightning pierced across the sky as he finished. Let loose by Harry's Thunderbird's anger at the threat against it's family.

The Elves all looked up at the sky in shock. None had noticed but other the length of their conversation, black storm clouds had covered the clear autumn sky, hanging threateningly over their guided city.

Harry watched as the group moved out, most of the nobles left towards the gardens below whilst the rest went with the servants, probably to different rooms. Harry was more interested in Elrond who still sat on his chair with a single servant in attendance behind him.

Mila and Lex were led away by their entourage of Guards and Harry made his move. Dropping behind the solitary servant he knocked the young looking male elf unconscious with a sharp blow to the back of his neck. He held the body up effortlessly against his chest and wrapped his wings around them both concealing his captive under them.

"How about we go to supper, Myonin?" Elrond spoke without looking at his servant. Harry waited in silence. "Myonin?" He asked again and when he still didn't get any answer from his servant he stood and span to face them.

He leapt back at the sight of Harry who bared his teeth in response. "Greetings, Lord Elrond."

"What have you done with Myonin?" He demanded. In response Harry open his wings with a snap blasting Elrond inadvertently with wind. He held his captive out and let him fall to the ground with a rather satisfying grunt of air as the breath was knocked from his unconscious body. "What did you do to him?" Elrond cried as he darted to the elf's side as Harry stepped back to allow him to.

"He is only unconscious." Harry told him simply. "I am not interested in him, only you."

"What do you want with me?" Elrond asked. Harry was impressed, the elf didn't seem to even be planning an escape. Was that courage or arrogance?

"Only to make a point. You seem to be more willing to listen to us than the others of your race." Harry stated simply. "We're not here to hurt. It is true that we need blood to survive, but we wont ever kill someone to receive that. But do not underestimate us, we will defend ourselves if attacked. I am here to retrieve my friends, do not attempt to stop me."

"Let me call back the council and we can discuss this." Elrond suggested.

"There is nothing to discuss." Harry paused. "It is your choice whether your guards survive this encounter however."

"What do you mean?" Elrond asked confused.

"You see, not including these two, there are another two. You mentioned that a man named Saruman the White has one. Do you know where the other is? And where can I find this Saruman?" Harry asked before continuing. "Tell me what I want to know and I wont kill them."

Elrond almost glared at the threat but he didn't know that Harry wouldn't kill them regardless. "I only know of one other Vampire in captive. Follow these mountains to the south. You come across a large obsidian tower. Saruman the White is the leader of the Istari, powerful wizards."

"Where do the human leaders reside?"

"Why?" Elrond was half curious and half protecting the information.

"If the mortals have my last Vampire then their leaders should know of it. I need to get to them before something irreversible occurs." Harry stated bluntly.

"Like what happened at Bree?" Elrond questioned.

"Don't even think about it!" Harry snapped his wings flexing. "They chose that fate when they beat a defenceless being almost to death. Archie was only defending himself in the best way possible! Now where are they holding Lex and Mila?"

"I cant tell you that," Elrond stated, "It would be a betrayal to my kind."

"Well think of it this way, you wont be able to warn them and if I don't know where my friends are I will have to search this entire city, incapacitating every elf I come across. It's your choice."

Elrond seemed to want to protest this but chose the better option. "Go along this corridor, take the second right and follow that down the steps to the bottom." Elrond sighed and Harry took the opportunity to pounce and was surprised at Elrond's speed. It wasn't fast enough to counter Harry's attack since he had the element of surprise but in a fair fight Harry wouldn't have his advantage of speed.

Harry grabbed the elf's arm as it came up to block the attack and twisted around to pin the man between his chest. His strength, proving to be stronger than an elf's, was enough to hold the man. Harry wrapped his wings around the Lord of Elves with a smirk, holding the mans other arm and legs from moving.

"Goodbye, My Lord Elf." Harry whispered as he grazed his teeth across the skin of the Elf's neck. He collected the power not wanting to test such an old beings blood when he already had enough in his system and sent a telepathic wave at him to knock him out. He placed the Elf beside his servant and recalled his wings as he ran through the corridors described to him.

He only had to knock out two more servants on the way and then another five Elvish Guards outside the cells.

"Hiya Vampies!" Harry chirped cheerfully when he saw the two inside the cells. Mila was already on the stone ground against the wall, too tired to even look up. Lex was better, able to stand against the bars but too tired to use his strength against them.

Harry paused briefly at Lex's cell to yank the bars apart. He had to hand it to the Elves, they knew how to work metal, it took all his strength to burst the locking mechanism. He waited for Lex to stumble out of the cell and helped the exhausted Vampire to crouch against the stone wall. He gave Mila's cell door the same treatment but this time didn't wait for her to get up before rushing to her side. He tore open his own wrist with his teeth and held the bloody appendage up to her mouth.

Her body, in shock as it was, couldn't even extend it's canines so she lapped at his wrist until she was strong enough to bite into his vein and drink what she needed. He healed his own wrist and made his way to Lex to do the same, letting his younger friend take what he needed whilst Mila pulled herself together and came out to find them.

"We're all weak." Harry stated to the others. "I don't know what effect the Elves blood will have on us so let me try it first." Harry bent to one of the unconscious Elves and pulled the top of his shirt down to expose his neck. He sunk his teeth in carefully and tried the blood. It was far stronger than anything he had ever drunk. Wizards had blood far more powerful than mortals but that wasn't nearly the same as this. Their immortality was rooted in their blood and Harry felt it running through his body.

Harry drunk slowly for a few more minutes before forcing his head away from the Elf, laying him on the ground comfortably.

"It's safe to drink, but it's even more of a rush than the Wizards of Earth. Be careful how much you take." Harry told the other too. They nodded seriously before stepping over to another two unconscious guards. They knew the risks of drinking blood like this. On Earth the Vampire Council had banned drinking from Wizards unless in life threatening situations as constant use could drive the drinker insane very easily. Harry would have to carry that rule over to Middle-Earth, but at least he knew that with his team he wouldn't need to enforce it.

"Let's go!" Harry told them once they both had had enough to keep them going. Harry led them back through the corridors and out through the first window or archway he could find, wanting to avoid the council area since it was unlikely that they hadn't found Elrond yet. They leapt from the window just as three Mirkwood Elves including Prince Legolas saw them.

Harry heard the yelling behind him and the sound of arrows being shot followed by the whistle as they passed them while they dodged, catching their fall on their wings and turning to head West over the Trollshaw forest.

Harry could only laugh as he looked down at Lex and Mila below him, revelling in their freedom even if he hadn't actually gotten around to telling them the mixed up world they had ended up in.


	4. Fury of the Thunderbird

The Nuuruhuine

Chapter 4; Fury of a Thunderbird

Harry found it amusing that the Elves and this Wizard lived in such elegant structures whilst the humans he had seen all seemed to live in smaller villages and towns. Bree was the largest he had seen so far, but then again he still hadn't found where the leaders of the Humans lived.

Below him was the coolest looking building he had ever seen. A kilometre high obsidian tower with four spikes running around the blunt hexagonal top. The grounds were filled with ancient and sturdy trees and about half a kilometre away from the base of the tower was an outer wall of the same black stone that made up the tower.

What really intrigued Harry about the building was the spells that riddled its structure. The tower itself had an indestructible spell on it far more powerful than anything he had ever seen. And what Harry really liked was the design of the top of the tower which, after plenty of study from his lofty altitude, he discovered would enhance the range of any spell cast from it.

This Wizard was obviously not someone to cross so Harry decided to contact Anthony to see how he was. He could already sense who was there and where he was in the structure. There was something about Life Takers that made them like beacons to Harry's telepathic senses as well as any powerful Vampire.

"_Hey, Anthony?" _Harry sent out to the Vampire he could sense in a room halfway up the tower. "_Are you ok?"_

"_Harry!?" _Came the cheerful response. "_Oh, thank God! I thought I was alone."_

"_Most of us appeared in the North, five appeared across this world. I've already found Archie, Mila and Lex." _Harry explained. "_We were transported here by that Chaotic Magic at Hogwarts."_

"_That's what I figured."_ Came the response. "_Are you here to help me escape?"_

"_Of course." _Harry sent a mental smile across the link. "_Can you get out? I don't sense any guards."_

"_I think there are only two Wizards here. One is really powerful, your level, the other is really weak, but has power in vocal compulsion." _Anthony reported.

"_Have they done anything to hurt you?" _Harry asked, remembering Archie's treatment.

"_Not really, the powerful one has taken a few samples of my blood, but I made sure I pulled all life from it." _Anthony informed Harry with a mental smirk. "_The building has extensive wards that I have been trying to pick apart."_

"_What do they do?"_

"_As far as I can tell they prevent anyone from leaving or entering who are not specifically keyed in." _Anthony sighed. "_And not surprisingly, I'm not keyed in."_

"_Any idea how I can bring it down?" _Harry asked hopefully.

"_I was beginning to think you weren't going to ask." _Harry could almost hear the smirk through the link. "_I found a loop hole in the wards, there are wards to prevent lightning from striking the tower. They will drain power temporarily from the secondary wards, like the one that prevents me leaving, in order to maintain power."_

"_Nice loop hole. My Animagus form will thank you for letting it have a play. I've been holding it back when it comes to storms. We're already making enemies in this world." _Harry explained. "_I'll have to cut off the link before I let the Thunderbird out otherwise you'll be fried."_

"_Yeah, yeah, I know."_ Anthony laughed. "_I'd rather not be brain dead thanks."_

Harry cut the link off abruptly as he allowed the more destructive part of his mind to come to the fore front. Almost immediately the valley echoed with the discordant screech of the Thunderbird as Harry's golden wings lit up in a bright glow. The clouds, which had been covering Harry's approach suddenly shifted from their white to a dark grey as they condensed and formed into storm clouds.

A huge crash split the air as the first bolt of highly charged lightning struck near the outer wall. Harry concentrated on the tower using his Thunderbirds need for absolute destruction to aim the lightning bolts at the tall obsidian structure.

After a few minutes of this two figures appeared on the top of the tower, one wore a long white robe whilst the other was wearing a black and grey ensemble. Harry saw Saruman lift his white staff towards the heavens and Harry screeched again causing wind to whip across the valley followed quickly by hail that pummelled the two men as Saruman tried to banish the storm.

The Thunderbird swooped down below the clouds into plain sight and screeched again to counter his magic. It was tiring and Harry realised the truth behind Anthony's words. Saruman really was as powerful as Harry. But Saruman wasn't as powerful as a Thunderbird. Especially a Thunderbird that he had just made a direct challenge against.

Another few crashes of thunder echoed over the wind's howl but no lightning struck the spikes on the tower's tip. Instead they seemed to collect just below Harry's Thunderbird form, another few struck the ball before it seemed to come to life and became a single huge lightning bolt as it ignored the spikes and struck right on the flat top where the two wizards had been moments before until they sunk down through the floor as they realised what was about to happen.

Harry felt something give in the structure and suddenly he wasn't forcing the lightning to hit the tower any longer. The strikes were being attracted naturally. He continued for a few more seconds before the lightning began to be forced away again to hit the ground. He watched with his keen eyesight as a figure with emerald wings jumped from a balcony about half way up the tower. Anthony spread his wings and skirted the trees as he flew across the grounds against the wind that Harry was forced to ease to let him through. Harry continued the assault from the covering darkness of the clouds for the next few minutes until he was sure that Anthony was well away from Saruman.

With a smirk Harry reigned in the Thunderbird and shifted the destructive side of his mind to the side, not forgotten but just put aside. He dipped his wings to circle around the tower at a lower altitude and saw with satisfaction that Saruman and the other Wizard were on the top of the tower again watching him.

When Harry was forced to roll to avoid a blast of nasty looking magic from Saruman's staff he decided that enough was enough and turned to the West to follow Anthony, shifting into his normal form as soon as he was out of visual range of the obsidian tower.

Harry spotted Anthony on a mountain top only three kilometres from the Saruman's tower. He dived and landed, surprised by the hug he received. He returned it kindly. Obviously two weeks hidden away with Saruman had taken their toll on Anthony. He kept quiet whilst Anthony pulled himself together.

"Here, I brought you a present." Anthony said as he pulled away and handed Harry a piece of parchment. "Saruman showed me it yesterday and I stole it when he wasn't looking. It's a map of Middle-Earth."

Harry took a good look at the map as he questioned Anthony on his stay with Saruman finding out that the Vampire wouldn't need blood for another few days at the earliest. Also it seemed that Saruman wasn't actually that bad, he had treated Anthony with respect at least making sure that he had enough blood at hand. Where he got the blood he didn't know but Anthony knew that it was human blood.

"Saruman must have got the blood from the people of Rohan here." Harry said pointing at a country just south and east of the little depiction of the tower of Isengard. "Look here, this is us." Harry said pointing at the tower. "I came down this line of mountains here." He pointed out as he ran his finger up the ridge to the small depiction of Rivendell. "This is the Elves who had Mila and Lex. There are Elves here and here as well." He told Anthony pointing at a large forest to the north-east and to the south.

Harry paused as he found the route he took from Bree before continuing. "This is Bree where I found Archie turning all of the humans there against each other." He said with a laugh.

"That's sounds like him." Agreed Anthony checking the route from Rivendell to Bree.

"If you get to Bree then you can replenish your reserves there before heading north past this a small town here," He pointed at a unmarked area to the north of Bree. "Then travel north again. The others are setting up in this large plain there."

"Where are you going to go?"

"We're still missing Alex. My best guess is that the humans have him somewhere." Harry told Anthony.

Anthony waved for the map before finding a depiction of a city to the south-east of where they were. "Saruman explained the humans to me. There are three main countries. One lives all the way to the North and East. Nasty ones supposedly. The other two are the Rohirrim, or the horse masters who live in the Gap of Rohan, which is where we are now. Their capital city is call Edoras with a King as leader."

Harry nodded when Anthony paused to make sure he understood. "The other country is the largest one, called Gondor. They are almost always in a perpetual state of war wince their borders side with Mordor, the major bad guys according to Saruman." Anthony explained, vaguely pointing out the three sides of the square that represented Mordor. "The Gondorian's capital is Minas Tirith, their king died nearly a thousand years ago so they are ruled by a Steward."

"I think Gondor would be the place to look for Alex." Harry concluded.

"I agree, but be careful, the current steward is a right warmonger. He's managed the push the orcs right back and hold them at bay. But according to Saruman he is a nasty piece of work. Doesn't like change or anything he views as unnatural." Anthony sighed.

"Reminds me of someone." Harry sucked in breath staring off towards the setting sun for a few moments until he felt a gentle hand on his side.

"What happened was nobody's fault but his own." Anthony pointed out kindly.

Harry covered his insecurity by studying the map carefully, memorising it as well as he could before handing it to Anthony. "Take that with you, get the others to start using it to make friends around us. I haven't been to this area here yet." Harry pointed at a few villages and towns to the west of Bree. "So maybe someone can go and have a look, just make sure they are careful about it. Also this open area to the north probably isn't completely empty either."

"Sure thing boss. Now go help Alex, you look like you need cheering up." Anthony reassured him before opening his wings and using them to gain a small bit of altitude before heading off the side of the mountain towards the north.


	5. Gondor

The Nuuruhuine

Chapter 5; Gondor

**Near Minas Tirith**

Stealing a horse from a traveller nearing the Rohans Capital City of Edoras was an easy task. After refilling his reserves from the poor merchant he had left him within a days ride of the city on the main road to await the first traveller to come across him. He'd left a few of the gold coins with the man that he had lifted from Bree that first day to compensate him for the loss of the horse.

He knew that by this time word of winged blood-sucking creatures would be old news in large built up countries like Gondor and he had been right to travel as a normal mortal, on horse back and slowly. Every town he had travelled through had had soldiers on the look out for Vampires. Once, just on the border between Gondor and Rohan he had come across a small party of Elves that had questioned him and to his amusement sent him on his way.

In this way he had made the slow two week trek south through ever more populated areas which only meant easy picking for Harry whenever he needed to partake in their blood, never leaving any trace of his efforts, either physical or mental.

He travelled along the bank of the River Anduin until he reached the Human border city of Osgilieth where he was forced to wait out more suspicions from mortal soldiers before he was permitted leave to travel the few miles across grassy plains to the massive white-walled city that was home to the rulers of Gondor.

He didn't meet much resistance as he entered though the main city gates though he didn't find out from discreetly gossiping with the guards that they were on the look out for a great winged man that drunk blood and a great golden flying beast that had the ability to call down lightning to strike down its enemies. He didn't miss the fact that over half of the hundred armoured guards around the main gate were archers and experienced ones by the looks of them.

"How do you know so much about them?" Harry asked as the guards told him to watch out for the winged man. "No one else has managed to find out that much." He said to flatter them a bit.

"Well, nobody else has captured one of them have they?" One of the younger guards boasted.

"Captured?" Harry gasped in fake awe though internally he was jumping with joy. "How in middle-earth did you manage to capture a flying man?" He said stopping himself in time to use the Middle-Earth version of his own worlds saying.

"Ah, well." The man paused for a second as if trying to remember a story. He was interrupted however from his boasting by one of the other guards that had just come into earshot.

"Hush now, Gellam!" He admonished, "You know we're not supposed to discuss the prisoner with anyone. Now go on your way."

Harry bowed his head in faked submission before dragging his horse past them following the guards order and entered the great city along with the countless other merchants and farmers in for a days selling and buying.

Harry was forced to spend a whole four hours of the day searching though the city. He could sense that Alex was in the city now that he was in the walls which concerned him as it showed just how weak Alex must in fact be. He circled the seven sections of the towering city but couldn't get close to the signal before he decided that he must be buried deep within the mountain the city was built against.

Speaking telepathically to Alex was also a lost cause as his mate had seemingly closed his mind off to everything, including Harry. After his four hours of searching without finding the entrance to where they were holding him he decided that the only option was to cause such chaos on the surface that word of his arrival would carry to Alex thus giving him a clue.

The best place for that was to start with the most powerful man in the city; the King.

XOXOXOXOX

Sergeant Kellan and his three guards stopped short abruptly when they walked around the corner and into sight of the gate that they were due to guard as soon as their shift began in a few minutes. The gate was the only one that was always kept shut especially now with these unknown creatures roaming the world. Kellan hadn't seen the point to be honest since all of the tales told of the man having wings.

The sight before them drove them into action in an instant as soon as they got over the shock of their four comrades slumped against the floor and walls like rag dolls. His archer knocked an arrow to his bowstring and stood guard looking in every direction that he could. Another of his men ran for the guards house and the bell pull that lay innocently against the inside wall. As himself and his last man ran to check on their comrades and bar the gate again the bell on the top of the gate started ringing out in a warning that was almost instantly echoed all across the City. All of the other level's gates slammed shut as their bells took up the call and far below them the main gates shut with a loud crash that echoed up through the city even to where they stood.

Guards poured out of the barracks back along their road and flooded the area. Medics checked on the four barely alive guards and confirmed what the Sergeant had been dreading. They were drained of their blood.

He flung himself up from the side of the previous watch's sergeant and started shouting out orders to search the entire upper level when a scream split the air from the Citadel behind them. They dashed across the courtyard just as five ladies-in-waiting ran through the now open door in hysterics. The last two to come out had blood over their dresses making the group speed up.

They ran though the entrance hall and burst into the Great Hall where at the distant end stood the King's lofty throne. The King sat in the throne shivering in fear whilst his ten Citadel Guards, clothed in their black and silver cloaks and elaborate helmets, were laid out across the hall where they had fallen.

But neither of these two sights drew their attention for much more than a second as their jaws almost dropped at the black cloaked man behind the throne whose huge black wings stretched across the large window, almost brushing the pillars running the length of the hall, casting a dreadful shadow across the room.

He saw not less than five of his archers go for their weapons just as the King's two sons came rushing in through one of the side doors with their swords drawn.

"Hold your fire!" Kellan yelled out as he saw the five archers take aim. One though didn't listen and with a twang the arrow was whistling across the hall and towards the winged man. Fortunately the man's aim was true and even though their King flung himself out of the seat as if the move was planned the arrow missed him and landed squarely in the intruder's shoulder as the man swayed away from it slowly.

The room itself seemed to hold it's breath as they watched the man lift his hand and pull the arrow out of his flesh and through it down beside the King's prone form. "Do you mind!" The man growled almost too softly to hear. "I like this cloak."

He brushed at his shoulder before regarding the archers with contempt. He held up his palm and with a crack like that of thunder a shockwave blasted along the hall sending everyone staggering. The five archers however were thrown completely off of their feet and their stout bows snapped like twigs.

"What are you?" Kellan stammered out as he looked at the snapped twigs.

"I'm a lot of things. Vampire, Wizard, even the essence of lightning itself. But more importantly for you lot." Harry paused for emphasis, "I'm your prisoner's Soulmate, and you're wasting my time." With that Harry smirked and leapt forwards with a twirl of his cloak to knock aside two throwing axes that were sent his way.

In under one minute the twenty Gondorians in the hall were completely incapacitation but otherwise unharmed baring the King and one of the Princes, only a young teenager at the most, who had retreated into one of the corners after not being able to escape.

"Spare us!" Shouted the King as he tried to shield his son behind him.

"I don't care whether you live or die!" Harry snorted as he folded his wings into his back but left them visible. "Now listen to me, you have someone that I want and I don't have the patience to retrieve him myself. Bring him to that lovely outcropping of rock that you call the 'Seat' and I will lift the siege on your city."

"Siege!" The King seemed to get up the courage to retort. "You have no army to lay a siege!"

Harry snapped out his wings again making the man jump backwards and knock into his son. "I don't need an army to lay a siege, human!"

"We wont give in to your demands!" The King retorted.

"Then people will begin to die." Harry said simply before spinning on his heal and pacing out of the hall with his wings half expanded in a shield to both sides of him. As he let the doors of the Citadel close behind him soldiers began flooding the stone and grass courtyard around him. The only place that didn't seem to be completely overrun was a small patch in the centre which was given over to a small hexagonal pond and a single white barked tree that Harry recognised as a Blood Tree. A tree that would only flourish as long as it was cared for by a certain family's blood.

They stopped in shock before someone near the back yelled over the general clamour but even Harry with his advanced hearing couldn't make it out over the noise. He spread his wings and with a single blast launched himself up into the air with enough force to send the nearest of the soldiers falling backwards.

A few arrows followed him but they fell short and stuck the Citadel ineffectively. Harry hovered just out of arrow shot before smoothly slipping into his Thunderbird form. His ears picked up gasps of shock and horror as his black clothing morphed into a golden plating like armour and his body contorted into that of a bird the size of a small dragon. His wings slid into the same colour as his new body. Down below him people began to run for cover as the air literally sizzled with static electricity.

The soldiers could only watch in horror as the once clear blue sky was blocked by thick black clouds. The same person as before yelled for them to take cover but nobody reacted. The first salvo of lightning, accompanied with an earth shaking crack of thunder struck the ornate decoration on the top of the citadel. The five foot of white stone that made up the ornament seemed to hold together for an eternity but was actually just and instant before it exploded outwards sending rock in all directions across the top level of Minas Tirith.

As if it had been a preconceived signal the soldier suddenly started listening to their Captain and ran as if the Demons of Chaos were on their very heels when in fact it was just a Vampire turned Thunderbird. They had no idea that at only two hundred and seventeen years the creature was a mere teenager in terms of age and was only at a third of its power. For the citizens of Minas Tirith that was more than bad enough though as the siege started. Anyone that dared to try to escape the city was met with lances of lightning and although Harry was trying to prevent his Animagus form from killing it was hard to counter the Thunderbird's natural desire for chaos and bloodshed. Luckily Harry could let it have as much chaos as it wanted but still some of the potential escapees lay dead and burnt on the great plain called Pelennor Fields.

XOXOXOXOX

**Inside Minas Tirith**

The noises of a storm had been rumbling through the tunnel for over two days now. It never abated and ever since it had started the guards on his cell had doubled. He had remained calm through most of it since he knew that even if he had the opportunity he hadn't the energy needed to make such an escape, especially if they expecting it from him.

Alexander finally drew tired of just sitting wondering about the storm and drew himself up to his full height for the first time in weeks. Feeding off of chickens blood had caused him to lose a lot of weight and muscle mass but he was still a formidable sight especially since in his starved state his fangs were constantly shown as was his wings, broken as they were, visible against his back since he didn't have the energy to retract them.

He stepped up to the bars managing to keep his balance admirably and watched as the two guards on the far side of the corridor shrunk up against the wall as their brethren snapped around to face him and took a step back as they saw him.

"What is going on?" Alex demanded simply.

"We're under siege." The leader of the guards admitted.

"That sounds like a serious siege, how big is the army?" Alex teased though to the guards he was being sincere.

"There is no army." The guard muttered glancing at his six fellows. "A beast attacks the city with a storm and swoops out of the sky to prey on anyone in the open."

Alex actually laughed in relief and the guards turned astonished eyes on him. He smirked at them. "Looks like my liege has come to find me."

"Well, he wont be able to find you in here. We're in a labyrinth of corridors. Only someone that knows the corridors could find his way." The guards boasted. "We just have to wait him out, nobody can hold a siege for ever."

"We're immortals." Alex argued. "With a city full of willing donors to refill his blood reserves he could hold this siege until your grandchildren have grandchildren or until that storm completely levels the city enough that he can land in this very cell."

Alex laughed as the guards flinched at a particularly loud and fierce rumble echoing from the surface. He knew he'd hit a nerve though as they muttered between themselves for the next hour about why the King wouldn't just hand him over and was just hiding in his chambered protected in the mountain.

They were in fact interrupted by that very man, along with six of his Citadel Guards not long after that hour. The king stopped in front of the bars and waited for Alex to stand up to meet him. When that didn't happen he ordered the previous guards to stand him up. They looked at each other warily before unlocking the door and with an almost mutinous look at their king they all stepped through. All six of them stayed together and circled him with their spears to make sure he didn't do anything violent.

The leader of the Guards himself stepped forwards and grabbed him under the arms to hoist him up and in fact tried to be careful about how he navigated the whole thing to prevent too much pain for the Vampire who's broken wings were causing him no end of trouble.

The guard hoisted him in front of his King through the bars as the other guards kept their distance.

"We're releasing you to that monster out there." The King spat.

"Caving in are you?" Alex baited with a weak grin.

"For the good of my people. But know this, if any Vampire is ever found in the country of Gondor then they will be killed on sight." The King threatened. Alex just met his cold stair with his own silver coloured eyes. "Release him in fifteen minutes. Don't do him any favours by helping him to the surface. He knows the way."

With that the King and his guards left the six cell guards and the single Vampire and retreated to whatever safe place they had found in this siege.

"Are you going to kill us if we release you?" The guards leader let him go and reclaimed his spear.

"I could have already killed you as soon as you helped me stand." Alex told the guards leader as he struggled to remain standing. The guards took another stepped away from him. "My brothers and sisters, The Nuuruhuine, never kill unless absolutely necessary."

"How can we trust you?" The leader said.

"You safer behind your weapons then you were when you held me up." Alex pointed out. "I didn't attack you then, I'm not going to now. I'm too weak to do anything anyway."

"If we release you will you be able to reach the surface?" One of the other guards spoke for the first time.

"No." Alex replied truthfully. "I'm too weak to walk."

"If we help you up to the surface wont your liege just kill us to rescue you." The leader questioned.

"Once I'm on the surface I will be about to contact him." Alex told them unhappily informing them of one of their powers. "If you help me up to him I will tell him that you are to be spared. He wont break my promise."

"Very well." The leader said as the fifteen minutes was up. "We'll help you to the surface."

They helped him out of the cell after that and seeing that he didn't take the opportunity to attack the two that held him up as they walked the relaxed their weapons. "Will you get in serious trouble for this?" Alex asked the leader.

"We might." The leader frowned as some of the other muttered before he raised his voice. "But if you don't make it to the surface then your friend out there will destroy the city. We'll help you to save our city and if we're banished in the process then so be it. I've already been demoted twice for taking things into my own hands under an incompetent general."

The other five seemed to agree with this sentiment and as they came up to the surface they were all blinded slightly by the sudden increase of light. Alex actually doubled up to shield his eyes and his own mumbled groan of pain was echoed by an unearthly screech of rage from high above them. The clouds began to churn as the golden form of the City's attacker dove down below the clouds.

Harry had obviously felt his pain through their now strengthened bond. '_Harry!' _Alex called out in relief and felt the sheer overwhelming of Harry's thunderbird mind confront his own checking everything about him in a few instants to make sure he wasn't hurt. '_Harry, these humans with me are helping me. Don't hurt them please. They are going against their King to aid me to the surface whilst their King told them to leave me to get here myself.'_

"He sounds angry." The leader muttered as they came out onto the ridge of mountain and towards the seat at the end. The only reason they had the confidence to do that was because even as the clouds above them rumbled threateningly there was no sign of the lightning that had laid waste to fully half of the city's buildings.

"He is angry." Alex said seriously. "Tell me, do you have a wife?" He received four nods from the med around him. "Wouldn't you be angry if they were captured and starved for no reason?" They actually blanched back at that realisation and almost ran outright when the three metre Thunderbird landed with a thump on the end of the walkway before them.

They felt its power as it looked them all over before it looked straight at Alex. Alex seemed to listen before turning back to the men. "He wont hurt you. And we've agreed. Do you know of somewhere called 'Ice Bay'?"

"I've heard of it. In the northwest?" The Thunderbird nodded at the leader making him pale at the direct attention.

"He says that if you are banished then you and your families are welcome with us. Travel there and tell any Vampire you see that 'The Nuuruhuine eclipses life.' They will then not harm you and escort you to us." Alex told him and made sure they knew the password. "Tell nobody else."

They nodded and before they could say more the great golden beast leapt upwards grabbing their ex-captive in its talons as it dove from the mountain and away to the west along the mountain range with another ground shaking clap of thunder and another terrifying shriek to remind the humans of Gondor not to cross them.

Harry's Thunderbird driven mind was ecstatic over the reunion between himself and his mate and all it was thinking was 'Alex, Alex, Alex.' Which was understandably giving both Harry and Alex a rather nasty headache so Harry wrestled for control over his Animagus' body which was actually rather difficult with the current situation since he couldn't convert to his Vampire form without dropping Alex who was too tired to fly himself to safety.

In the end he got enough control to force his Animagus to land near a small mountain spring form pool about five miles west of the now half destroyed city of Minas Tirith. As soon as he had lightly place his mate on the ground he jumped away before rippling into his more humanoid form and crouching down beside Alex. He slit his own wrist and dripped the blood into the nearly comatose Vampire's mouth and allowed fully half his own reserves to leak away into the willing mouth.

By the time Alex was awake again they were both feeling drowsy but not nearly so much that they were at any risk and could probably both go on for another couple of days. Harry sat back onto his heals in relief and sighed happily.

"Thanks, Harry." Alex smiled as he looked as his slightly older companion.

Harry didn't respond in words and just dragged the slightly taller Vampire into his arms landing a passionate kiss onto his lips. "The others are all safe up North. Lex, Archie, Anthony and Mila all appeared randomly along with you whilst everyone ended up in the same place." Harry explained once he pulled away.

"Can we head up there soon?" Alex asked which Harry agreed too easily knowing that since by the time they got back it would be about a month since they arrived then they probably would have made some sort of shelter at least and hopefully a more permanent food supply of some sort.

"I'm going to put this simply, Alex, because I love you so much." Harry smirked before continuing. "You stink."

Alex laughed as he tackled Harry to the ground but both shot apart as Alex yelped out in pain as his broken wing got caught against the ground. "Can you have a look for me? I cant move it to the front to see." Alex pleaded before turning to the side as they both stood up.

"It's definitely broken but its set fine. It'll just take time and some rest to fix." Harry informed him before carefully helping Alex out of his bloodied cloak and shirt. Alex took care of taking off the rest of his clothing as Harry stepped out of his and soon the two of them were submerged in the freezing waters of the mountain spring though neither noticed the cold at all.

Harry dipped himself completely under allowing the cold water to close in over his head for a few minutes and knew that Alex would be doing the same thing since neither of them really needed oxygen for more than breathing in and out in order to speak. When Harry came out it was to watch his mate stand up as well. The water came up to just below Alex's ribs leaving plenty of his mates skin to arouse Harry since they hadn't seen each other in so long.

"Let me clean up your wings a bit." Harry offered and swam slowly around his mate. He spent a few minutes working his way over the forest green wings before folding them carefully so they could heal properly and then before Alex could say anything he leant over the wings, turned his mates head to the side and kissed him again, his hands going around him carefully to hold his chest and abdomen.

They both sunk down so that only their heads were above the water and made up for the lost time since that fateful day at Hogwarts when they had been ripped from their world and from each other.

XOXOXOXOX

A/N; Obviously not going to write anymore on that but I think most of you get the idea. Please review and let me know what you think. Next chapter will be them arriving back up North and we'll find out how the others have got on.


	6. Dras Arget

The Nuuruhuine

A/N; Some of the translations in this story will be from the series of books; Inheritance by Christopher Paolini so they are not my words.

Chapter 6; Dras Arget

Harry and Alexander circled down slowly from the clouds over their new home. They had just flown on and off for a week to return home and Harry had sent an alert pulse ahead of them to announce his return after almost two months.

As they broke through the clouds the whole Northern expanse opened up before them. Mountains marked the Northern and Eastern sides whilst several plains opened up the hills to the South. A pass led East and a open plain marked out a gap between the sea that bordered the west side and the mountains to the North. Past those mountains the grassy land gave way to snow and ice.

On the shores of Ice Bay lay what looked like giant earth works. He could only guess that Vesser and Micha, his two Earth Elementals were slowly building up a defensive work.

"There's more down there than in the Nuuruhuine, Harry." Alex yelled out over the wind as they flew wingtip to wingtip. Harry looked down and realised that what he said was indeed true. It wasn't clear from this height but there was at least twice as many figures down there as in his team. That and there were tents, cattle and wagons as well.

"Let's go have a look." Harry shouted back. They dove down from the sky and landed heavily on a large pile of stone stacked just by the side of a wagon. They stared around them at about twenty or so humans seated at a table eating dinner.

"Harry!" Harry spun at Lex's voice. "You found Alex!" Harry and Alex jumped down from the six high stack of stone.

"What's happening here?" Harry asked.

"Come with me." Lex turned and strolled over to a large tent about twenty paces away. The inside was darker but Harry could easily see through the gloom at the twenty people in there. Eighteen of the Nuuruhuine and two human elders, obviously the leaders of the humans outside.

"What's happened?" Harry asked after greetings had been exchanged between the Vampires.

Harry got a brief run down of the last few months as he and Alex sat. They had met these nomads whilst exploring the region. They were a small tribe that traded trinkets and food to towns for what they needed. They had been trying to permanently settle but didn't have the resources or the man power to stay in one place for long. They had agreed to join the Nuuruhuine and settle here.

"They are happy with what we are?" Harry asked in surprise.

"We were told as soon as we met. We agreed to become willing donors in exchange for a place to make a life. It is an easy bargain for us to make. We would not have survived for long in our current situation." The man told him. "You seem surprised."

Harry then proceeded to tell the group everything that had happened to him in the last two months. Including the half destruction of Minas Tirith which seemed to amuse the humans greatly.

"The Gondorian's do not like change, they like their dominance over the western regions. The Rohirrim are a much more pleasant race. Younger but they will trade with us whereas the Gondorian's did not like us in their land at all." The man told them with a laugh.

"So what's your plan here then?" Alex asked after the story was completely finished minus Harry and Alex's personal moments along the journey back.

"Well, as you can see." Jesu started, "Vesser and Micha are building up a wide column in order to build our home on its top. That way only Vampires can reach the City."

"Are you ok with that?" Harry asked the two humans.

"They checked with us before laying down the plans. We understand that an inaccessible City is the best defence possible. It isn't the only defence we have planned." The man grinned. "With your friends' _abilities _any other defences will be equally formidable. They are planning a trench that will be too deep to see the bottom."

They chatted for a while longer before matters got more serious. "We have managed to make an enemy in the East." Jesu added. "We were exploring the Eastern mountains when we shot at by a group of creatures that the nomads described as being Goblins. We killed the group when they wouldn't listen to reason."

"We found their city. The nomads call it Goblin Town." Noman, their life sensor, continued, "We tried to be diplomatic but they just seem like teeming masses. I sensed tens of thousands of Goblins in there."

"Do you think they will attack us here?"

"We've been keeping an eye on them but they haven't found our settlement yet. We'll have two day's warning if they do march though since they have to march for a day to reach the pass through the Eastern Mountains."

"Have you had any contact with the Elves yet?" Harry asked.

"We've see their city that we learnt from Mila and Lex was called Rivendell but we haven't tried to communicate with them yet." Jesu told them. He waved to the two elders. "Aranmisch and Gainwe here have a tentative friendship with those in Mirkwood but they haven't tried to talk to them about us yet. Perhaps once the Goblin threat makes another turn we can think about it."

"And the humans in the south?" Harry led the conversation.

"We have introduced your kind to the closest towns that we have trading agreements with and they have taken out side." Gainwe joined the conversation for the first time. "As long as you don't take any offensive stance against them then they will be happy to continue to trade with us."

"Well then, what do you want me to help with?" Harry asked.

"Do Lords in your world help with the labour?" Aranmisch asked in shock.

"None among my companions could call me a proper Lord. I am only a Duke by my family title. My Nuuruhuine's are equal as far as we are concerned." Harry tried to explain.

"We could use your help to seek out more stone of sufficient quality to build with." Vesser suggested. "At the moment Micha and I are having to split between the quarry and the Earthworks here. With your help we can both concentrate on the Earthworks."

"Very well then." Harry nodded.

"There is one more matter at hand that we thought ought to be left to you." Jesu told Harry with a grin. "We need a name for both this City and this Country if we are to start making formal treaties with the locals."

"Any ideas?" Alex asked the group.

"I noticed the stone here has a silver property, what is that?" Harry asked coming up with an idea.

"We're not sure. All we know is that it makes the rock almost impossible to mine. We've never seen it on Earth." Vesser told him. "We were going to refine some of it and see if it will work as armour. The rest we were going to leave in the rock to make it stronger."

"Then perhaps Dras Arget for the city. It is from an ancient Elvish language on Earth I studied for a while." Harry told them.

"What does it mean?" Jesu asked curiously.

"It means City of Silver." Harry smiled.

"Fitting." Vesser nodded followed by the others. "It is agreed then. What about the region?"

"I'm not sure really. Is there anything special about this plain?" Harry asked the group but more specifically the two humans.

"Not in particular. It has never been built on before because it was too difficult to mine the stone. It's northern edge normally freezes over for a full third of the year." Gainwe told him. "We have always just called it the Northern Expanse."

"I'll have to think about it for a while."

XOXOXOXOX

**Four weeks later**

The Nuuruhuine had spent the next four weeks shoring up the vast defences that Harry and some of the more strategic types had planned. The multi tiered city named Dras Arget was starting to be marked out. The outer wall, made from the same almost indestructible silver veined granite, now lay at about two feet above ground level at a distance of one mile from the raised column. It would eventually stand at four stories in height and only break for the two gates and where the circle encroached on the bay where Vesser and Micha would eventually build up a bar for the majority of the circle just under the water height with two towers and a defensive chain blocking the only channel to prevent attack by sea.

The city itself was none existent apart from a group of huts and cattle enclosures but already more permanent buildings were cropping up from unneeded stone chiselled away from the larger blocks needed for the wall. All around the walls taller towers were rapidly growing higher than the smaller wall so that if they were attacked the humans would at least have a better vantage point than their enemies.

The ditch mentioned earlier in their first meeting was starting to form around the marked out wall and was already too deep to climb out of. However for the fight that Harry just knew they would get out of the Goblins he was preparing a small surprise. Between him, Vesser and Micha they had lowered the ground on the far side of the ditch so that it sat lower than their side. Since it was at water level to start with he had built dams along the coast to hold back the sea. The beauty of the design was that at anytime they could lower the dams and flood the other side of the ditch with ice cold sea water and therefore wipe out any army that may be forming up just out of volley range.

Harry had just spent the last three hours flying high above the mountainous city called Goblin-town by the humans along with Alexander for company, Noman to sense for the Goblins as well as Mika to think of strategies and Archie to check for any telepathic links going on below and in case of any particularly powerful minds. They had got an idea of numbers as the group formed into what seemed to resemble their idea of an army inside the mountain. They had begun to move as a mass through the mountain caves towards the west.

"Fly on back to Dras Arget and get everyone ready for an invasion. Get Vesser and Micha to extend the flood plains by another quarter of a mile so we can try and trap all of these creatures." Harry told Noman, Mika and Archie over the growing wind before he and Alexander broke away to head towards the nearby City of Rivendell. He wanted to speak to Elrond of Rivendell again and see if the Elf had any tips on fighting the Goblins.

The golden valley city spread out below them in the early afternoon light and as the sun had just passed its zenith the valley was lit by a bright light. Harry and Alexander settled down on the smooth paving of where Harry had witnessed Mila and Lex's interrogation.

They didn't have to wait long before a servant girl walked out and saw them. She didn't look any older than them physically but for all they knew could be hundreds of years old. Harry didn't know how any immortal could possibly be subservient to another. His Nuuruhuine all bowed to him on anything to do with formalities because he was a Lord but he didn't treat any of them as servants. She looked at them wide-eyed for a few minutes, seeing their young looks and that lively look and feeling that only ever came from being an immortal. She looked confused for a second and Harry could almost see the instant she took in his green-tinted black wings and Alexander's forest green ones.

Harry grinned at her as her eyes widened in shock and she gasped out as she saw Harry's elongated canines. "We wish to see Elrond. Tell him that Duke Corvil of the Vampire City of Dras Arget is waiting for him."

The female Elf ran from the balcony as if Harry and Alexander had threatened to drain her of all her blood. Not thirty seconds later no less than ten armed Elves ran out of the circular corridor that rimmed the balcony and drew arrows against them.

They said nothing and Harry had to respect them for the fact that they weren't just going to shot them. They were waiting for something. To be on the safe side he and Alexander both brought their wings around to protect themselves. Even five arrows wouldn't do any serious damage but they still didn't want to try to fight with that much damage.

Harry stood when Elrond walked out of the corridor and out into the sunlight. He looked surprisingly calm. "Duke Corvil is it?" He said with a raised eyebrow.

"It was in my old world, before we were sent here." Harry nodded, "Here it is just Harry."

"How did you get sent here?" Elrond asked as he gestured to his guards. They didn't leave, nor lower their bows but they did ease back to line the arches that rimmed the balcony.

"We were fighting a battle against a group of what we call Necromancers." Harry explained. "The site of the battle was a two hundred year old ruin of a thousand year old school of magic. We can only guess at what caused it but that much magic in one place was too chaotic and it reacted to our fight and sent us here."

"These Necromancers you speak of." Elrond asked with a frown, "What are they and did they accompany you here to this world?"

"We have seen nor heard of them since we arrived here three months ago." Harry told them, "They raise the dead to fight for them and using their powers on themselves give themselves a form of immortality."

"Our Mirkwood allies have reported rotting humans in their Eastern borders. They seem to fight with no concern for their own lives and disintegrate once the battle is lost." Elrond told him.

"That sounds like them. They must have appeared in the East and are claiming their own lands in battles rather than diplomacy which is their way." Harry sighed. "We'll send a few Vampires that way once the threat of Goblins is out of the way, if the Mirkwood Elves don't attack us that is."

"What are you going to do now that you are here?" Elrond asked him ignoring the unspoken challenge.

"Live the life we were trying to in our world." Harry told him simply. "We mean no harm to any here."

"What of what you did to Minas Tirith?" The Elvish Lord asked them. "We have just received word from the humans of Gondor."

"They captured one of our own like you and the Mirkwood Elves did. I was only forcing them to return him." Harry said with a glance at Alexander.

"So why are you here?" Elrond asked.

Harry glanced around him and folded his wings behind him in a clear sign of peace. Alexander paused for a moment before following suit. Elrond watched them for a second before he turned his head and nodded at one of the guards, one in slightly more expensive looking armour. The guard said something in what Harry assumed was Elvish and the other nine lowered their bows and seemed to relax. Harry didn't miss the fact that they didn't take arrow from bow though.

"We seem to have upset a city of what you call Goblins just to the East of here. They are massing an army against us. It travels through this mountain range in caves even as we speak." Harry explained. "We're not expecting you to aid us, but I wanted to know what you knew about them and how we can fight them."

"How did you make an enemy of them?" Elrond asked in return.

"We were exploring these mountains and they took offence." Harry told him sardonically.

"That is about the way of it. They are not the most pleasant of races in Middle-Earth. They are more creatures than civilised." Elrond told the two of them. "We are always fighting them in Trollshaw forest. Their main weakness is their absolute abhorrence to sunlight. They only travel at night. They wear no armour and their sole strength is in their numbers."

"Thank you for your assistance." Harry nodded. "Do you know where we have settled?"

"Our scouts have seen the start of your city. Dras Arget you called it?" Elrond asked.

"Indeed, it means Silver City after the colour of a deposit in the stone we are using." Harry informed him. "Something that we have never seen before. I brought a sample."

Harry handed him a small thread of the substance and waited as the Elvish Lord studied it. "This is Mythril, the strongest known metal that is used to create almost impenetrable armour. I suggest guarding this supply closely."

"We wish only for an alliance or at the very least peace between us. If you wish to speak with us you only need to send a message to Dras Arget." Harry told him.

Elrond seemed to think for a while before he nodded to himself and spoke. "We have received a message containing advice from the oldest of our kind in Lothlorien. She says to help you all that we can."

"An alliance then?" Harry asked, stepping forwards as the guards pulled up their boys again.

Elrond bowed and Harry copied the gesture. "An alliance between Morchaint and Rivendell and Lothlorien. We will send a message to Mirkwood to tell them of this and ask if they join this alliance."

"Morchaint?" Harry asked with a slight frown.

"It means Shadowed in our language." Elrond smiled, "It was the name that Queen Galadriel used. We will send fifty of our best archers to aid you in this battle but they will not be enough to fight an army of Goblins."

"We have a few tricks in store for their army when it reaches us." Harry grinned.

"I'll send my troops out as soon as possible. They should reach Dras Arget in two days by horseback. The Goblins should take three days to travel since they will only travel at night." Elrond pointed out.

"We'll look forward to their arrival." Harry told them with a grin.

Elrond seemed to struggle for a time, not sure whether to say what was on his mind or not. Eventually he got up the nerve to ask. "What are you doing for food?"

Harry grinned inanely having expected the question since he _had _drunk from one of his Elvish guards. "A group of nomad have asked to settle with us in exchange for allowing us to drink from them. There are enough of them that they can sustain us."

"And you say that they are willing?" One of the guards blurted.

"They do not view blood like you do obviously. You troops can question them to ascertain if they are indeed willing if you wish." Harry suggested.

Harry and Alexander then unfurled their wings in a snap and leapt from the balcony catching the wind in their wings to send them swooping up and over the edge of the valley seconds later.

XOXOXOXOX

**Three days later**

Just as Harry had told them to, the Elves that came to Dras Arget questioned the awed humans about their motivation for staying there and were surprised that the nomadic humans had no qualms with allowing a Vampire to suck blood from their neck at fortnightly intervals.

The surrounding wall hadn't grown in the last few days but the ground on the other side had visibly dropped. But, Harry noticed with approval, it wasn't visible from the attackers side. The trap would strike any unknowing attacker completely by surprise.

"Tell me, Prince Elladan, can Goblins swim?" Harry asked one of Elrond's twin sons with a smirk as the army of goblins laid out below them. They overlooked the army from one of the few completed towers set within the low lying outer wall.

"I do not believe so." Harry had thought that most of the Elves spoke English but when Elrond's troops had arrived he had realised that only the more worldly Elves could understand them. Elrond's two sons and most of the Elvish Captains were luckily among them.

"Then they definitely wont like this then." Harry laughed along with all of the Nuuruhuine that were perched along the battlements of the towers with their wings held up protectively around them.

"I'm confused though, Duke Corvil." Elladan spoke worriedly, "Yesterday there was a deep ditch surrounding this city and now there is nothing."

What he spoke was in fact true, before them lay a plain that apart from the lowering sat unblemished with low lying grass. "Do not fear, Prince Elladan, you are not imagining things. Some among us have the ability to lay illusions to fool the mind."

"So the ditch wasn't there in the first place?" The Elf asked with a frown.

"Nah, my Prince." Harry said before looking at his three Illusionists with a smirk. Gabi, Mila and Phillip all smirked back before bowing slightly and moving to the edge of the battlements. "The ditch is still there as I am sure the Goblins will discover as soon as they attempt to attack."

Harry wandered to the battlements with the Prince and the senior Elvish Captain at his sides. Six stories below them lay a small gap of grass and then at about twice bow shot stood at least five thousand Goblins swarming in a great mass. As they watched a horn blew out and was echoed across the mass as they swarmed forwards. The elves pulled their bows and took aim but Harry held up a hand. The Captain yelled out something in Elvish and the archers paused though they didn't take arrow from bow.

There was no strategic skirmish sent out and therefore when they reached just inside of arrow shot they had no warning of what lay just a few paces in front of them. The first few lines ran straight into the gorge without realising that something had changed beneath them. The illusion fell all around the city as soon as the first Goblin crashed through it but it was too late for hundreds of Goblins. Hundreds of the Goblins fell too their deaths and before the next few hundred could cry out the warning they were pressed over the edge too by the mass swarming forward from behind. In all at least a thousand of the Goblins fell to their deaths before their leaders could call the retreat.

The Goblins settled back to form a wall just outside of bow shot, helped along by a couple of volleys from the Elves which Harry had to respect for their accuracy in decimating the front ranks of the Goblins and anyone caught out within range.

Harry turned to Alexander, "Send the signal."

All along the dams were mechanical releases that would release the tide of water held in the bay. They had built them out of the mythril from the rock and once gone the earth mounds hiding the dams would collapse. Some of his Nuurhuine stood by to release these mechanisms from a cavern inside the column of rock where the upper city would soon stand. The nomads would take the new of the signal too them along a chain of humans down through the rock.

Alex sent up the fork of lightning that made the Goblins scream out and the Elves gasp at the magic. It only took thirty seconds for the signal to pass through word of mouth to the cavern and not ten seconds later the dams receded unseen into the ground. A rumble echoed through the air followed by the unmistakable sound of rushing water. Harry glanced to the side to see the millions of gallons of water rushing across the newly lowered plain around both sides of Dras Arget.

Prince Elladan said something in Elvish that, by the look on the Prince's face, Harry guess was a curse word. Goblin screams were cut off as they were hit by the full force of the wave. They ran but there was very few creatures that could outrun a wave of water as it flooded down into the plain. By the end of the surge only the rear most Goblins, who had been able to run away from the City, were still alive. Thousands of green body lay in the water as it still. Those that had survived the crushing force would either freeze to death before the water settled or drowned from an inability to swim. Water rushed down into the ditch with the dull roar of a two mile wide waterfall and clouds of mist rose from the ditch like it was a gorge straight into hell.

"I'm afraid, Prince Elladan, that if you wish to return home you will have to do so in a few days time once the waters have receded enough to lay the bridge over the gorge for you to ride across." Harry spoke quietly as he viewed the devastation around them. None of the Nuuruhuine spoke a word, neither did the Elves. The nomads whispered between themselves and quietly cheered their success but their views weren't shared by any others.

"You have done well here, Duke Corvil." Prince Elladan. "There was no other option and you spared many a Human, Elf and Vampire here with this move." As in emphasis to his words a rainbow stretched across the sky as the last rays of the setting sun struck the clouds of mist from the gorge.

The Nuuruhuine had made their place in this world. Morchaint had been marked out with Dras Arget as its City with the Elves as friends and the inevitable horror that accompanied Vampires within the Human population.

XOXOXOXOX

A/N; So is the story of two thousand years before the books. The next chapter will be a huge leap into the future.


	7. Sleeping Titans

The Nuuruhuine

Chapter 7; Sleeping Titans

**Greater Dras Arget**

**Approximately 2000 years later.**

Annette stared up at the moonlit monolith that was Dras Arget proper from her house's balcony which doubled as the head quarters for the resistance group she had named Nuru Noste which meant Death's birth in Elvish in honour of the Ancients who sleep unknowingly whilst her world was ruled by the corrupt.

She knew that she was only a lower Vampire and not one of the Lamia who had been born out of the Ancients but she had led the Nuru Noste for a hundred years ever since the Lamia council had put even more restrictions on her kind and the humans that had so willingly donated their blood to keep them alive for seventeen centuries.

Now the Council ran by Alexi Corvil ruled everything, the City had fallen under a metaphorical cloud. The Elves had completely withdrawn any ties with them. The Council had invaded the Elves of Mirkwood and been driven back a hundred years ago and relations with the Humans had hit an all time low.

"Annette, are you out here still?" Kira, Annette's best friend since they were younglings one hundred and fifty years ago, said as she stepped out into the biting north-westerly wind. "I knew I'd find you out here. You spend so long staring up at the City Proper."

"Don't you see, Kira, the answer we have been seeking for a hundred years is up in that City. The Chamber of the Ancients." She said almost reassuring herself. "Alexi Corvil has reigned for too long."

Alexi Corvil was the direct descendant of Duke Harry Corvil the most powerful Vampire known to this World and was using that position and the powerful position of his friends in the Black Cavalry to control the council and the military. And he was only one hundred years old. His brother had started the ball rolling and Alexi had killed him to take his position.

"Nobody is saying what we're fighting for is not worth it but what we're doing tonight is unthinkable." Kira countered.

"We're so close. They'll help us, I know they will." Annette repeated for the hundredth time ever since she had first chosen the plan to end this once and for all.

"They're Lamia, how do we know they'll help us." Kira protested, not for the first time.

"They're the Ancestors, we all have ties to them. My sire was bitten by Alex Corvil when he was exiled two thousand years ago. He'll help me, I know it."

"Your sire was killed by Jonah Corvil over one hundred years ago." Kira said.

"They ganged up on him." Annette pointed out. "And his loyal."

"Whilst trying to get to the Chamber of the Ancestors, to wake them." Kira countered.

"We're taking a different approach." Annette pointed out. "They'll help us. They went to sleep before all of this happened. Five hundred years to the day."

"It'll be an auspicious day to wake them then." Kira smirked and she pulled Annette back into the house and to the living quarters on the ground floor where another twenty Vampires and ten humans were gearing up in armour and climbing gear. Kira and Annette, already wearing their gear hailed those ready as the time that marked their operation ticked passed.

Her house, the headquarters of the Nuru Noste, sat right by the base of the cliff giving their operation cover as they all mounted the cliff. It had taken three months to build a rope system up the almost perfectly smooth rock face during nights where they would be seen. Each point had to be removed each night so that it wouldn't be seen during the day and then reset the next night in a slowly heightening process of hard work in order to reach the City above them. One where no creature other than the winged Lamia had stood in two thousand years since it was built.

It took half the night alone to slowly climb the wall and reset the points as they climbed the five hundred foot granite cliff. The city above didn't have a wall as such but the buildings around the outside presented no opening between them and were two stories of Mythril enhanced Granite that was perfectly smooth meaning that they had to relay passed it and climb the roof. They gathered in an unused courtyard near to the outer skirts of the city.

"Now where do we go?" Only the Vampires, those with the strength to climb such a high cliff, were present. The humans had remained at the headquarters to recuperate since the Vampires had had to drink from them to be at full force for the operation. Plus each of the Vampires knew that to awaken the Nuuruhuine they would have to offer their own blood and a lot of it.

"You know I don't know that, Zacharius." She said before turning to look at the massive looming Citadel. The moon was rising behind it making the mythril light up Dras Arget like a second moon. She staggered as a wave of power hit her like an overdose of blood. A hugely power mind clashed into her sending her falling backwards even though strong arms caught her.

Her vision went black as she suddenly saw herself rushing through halls and up silver shining spiralling staircases to the very heart of the Citadel. She found two great solid mythril doors that she instinctively knew guarded the Chamber of the Ancients.

As soon as the doors seemed to creak open she found herself gasping for breath in her own body once again. Zacharius was holding her head in a light panic with Kira on her other side. "What happened?" Kira asked.

"I just found out where the Chamber of the Ancients is." She whispered as if saying it any louder would make it vanish.

"How?" Another asked sceptically.

"I think one of them showed me." She whispered again. "I felt another mind."

"A trap?" Kira asked.

"It was too powerful to be anyone other than a Nuuruhuine." She told them. "It's all we have to go on."

The others agreed and they started to head down the side streets towards the looming Citadel. It was a long walk, taking until the sun lit the horizon in the east, since they had to dodge the Lamia guards. They did notice that security up in the City proper was just as unrelenting as in the greater city below. It had always been obvious that some of the Lamia were not happy with Alexis Corvil's rule but never had they thought that enough opposed the rule to need patrols in the City proper.

The pathways through the Citadel itself was almost empty, twice they had to knock out a few guards patrolling the moonlit corridors. None in their group had ever seen inside the Citadel so the pattern of reflecting mythril that lined the walls gave them pause to stare at the moonlit patterns. They were soon at the Chamber of the Ancients and had no sooner entered when the Citadel horn sounded. The multi-toned horn blew out in six different echoes. An unmistakable call that chilled any human ear but soothed the more complex hearing of the Vampires and Elves.

"Shut the doors!" Kira called and six of them shut and braced the doors. She turned to Annette. "They must have found the equipment on the cliff."

"Then they will have the others." Zacharius pointed out.

"We haven't got time. We must awaken them." Annette said as she moved to the far end of the hall. Lining the walls were alcoves, each had a mythril-granite casket. "The book said to place a drop of Vampire blood in the groove and be ready to offer more as soon as they awaken."

"What if they drink us dry?" Zacharius stuttered.

"They are good. They wont." She countered.

"How do we know that?" He argued, "They haven't drunk in five hundred years."

"We must show them faith if we want their help." Annette told them all as she moved to the end casket and stared at it in awe. The mythril gleamed as sunrise broke through the top windows and reflected around the chamber. She tore into her wrist and allowed a single drop to fall into the small receptacle on the front of the casket. She looked around and saw others moving to do the same. She had brought twenty with her so that each of them could offer the blood needed.

The casket groaned and the noise was echoed all across the chamber as all of the caskets slid out of the alcoves and opened slowly. She was taken completely by surprise when a blur hit her and sank it's fangs into her throat.

A powerful mind, more powerful even than the one that had touched her own in the city, invaded her senses, completely overwhelming her defences. She suddenly found herself being held up by the Ancient Vampire she had awoken instead of standing under her own power.

'_Why have you awoken me?' _The voice was loud but it quieted quickly as it realised the headache it was giving her. She concentrated on sending her thoughts back and replied.

'_We need your help.'_

'_Who are you?'_

'_I am Annette, leader of the Nuru Noste.' _She told him. '_We fight the martial power of Alexis Corvil and his council who have oppressed all that stand against him.'_

'_Open your memories and allow me to see the truth. If you try to hide anything or lie then I will drain you completely.'_

She didn't even hesitate before allowing the mind to invade even her most secret thoughts and memories, though she doubted her defences would be able to stop him if he really wanted in.

After about two minutes of flashing memories she felt the powerful mind of Harry Corvil stretch slightly before pulling away from her own, leaving her feeling suddenly very empty. She felt a slight tug at the skin of her throat as his teeth retracted and she opened her eyes to find herself staring into endless green eyes. He regarded her emotionlessly for a moment before twisting his head to the left and right before stretching. She looked around at the forty Vampires in the room. Her own twenty looked extremely tired whilst the Nuuruhuine looked like humans who had just woken from a nights sleep.

They all stretched out their wings, careful not to hit each other. A myriad of colours filled the room, all notably dark. The lightest was in fact a grey colour whereas most of the Lamia she had seen over her life had lighter shades. These were truly as powerful as she had hoped.

Their wings folded and vanished after a moment and she realised that she was the only one still standing which amazed her since her legs felt like the bones had been removed.

XOXOXOXOX

Harry looked across his Nuuruhuine, all now awake after five hundred years of sleep. He knew from the memories that those that stood or knelt before them, helpless, were the Nuru Noste. A resistance group created to oppose the Lamia Council led by his own descendent that ruled like tyrants in his name.

His power swirled at the thought and he saw the woman, Annette, in front of him finally sink to her knees as she felt his power, grown even stronger from the five hundred year expanse of his life.

The Two thousand, two hundred year old leader of the Nuuruhuine stepped forward and placed his hand onto her head and knelt. His troops knelt in reverence to him as he lifted Annette's head so that he could look directly into her eyes. "You did the right thing, Annette." He told her just loud enough that his voice sounded to them all before he stood again. "You all did the right thing."

"My Lord." Archie stood with the others. "There is a large gathering in the parade square."

"An execution?" Alex asked him.

"My people!" Annette gasped and tried to stand though her weakness forced her back to her knees.

"Your human allies?" Harry asked, she nodded. "Binar, Kenevee, Crysta, Lex, Mila. Remain here and guard the Nuru Noste. Alex, Nicole, Patia, Micha, Vesser, you're with me. Everyone else, scour the upper city, kill anyone who resists our return."

Nine of his Nuuruhuine, those closest to the door left to start scouring the Citadel. He knew that a couple would go to the horn to change the tone to announce their awakening. He left with Nicole, Patia, Micha, Vesser and his own husband, Alex to get to the Parade Square, knowing that the council would most likely be there to watch the execution.

They walked out onto the promenade, a decoratively carved spit of granite that protruded out from the top of the monolith out over the city. It's arches held it out to the rising sun so that it glowed a glittering orange. He stood at the very edge staring down at the crowd below, humans and Vampires with a circle of armed guards in the centre around a raised wooden platform. Harry spread his wings and allowed his inner Thunderbird to call up a storm. The lightening sky clouded over but no lightning struck. Alex stepped up beside him to command the gathering lightning. His own form was to powerful for this type of attack.

XOXOXOXOX

**Parade Square**

Alexi Corvil stood amongst his loyal companions at the back edge of the raised platform smirking at the humans lined up with nooses around their necks. In only a few moments the Nuru Noste would be destroyed. The Vampires had fled but they would be hunted down. He cut his hand through the air and his guards kicked the stools from the feet of the humans dropping them the short drop so that the ropes cut into their necks.

The Citadel horn called out and the masses span to listen to the never before heard signal. The return. Alexi growled and ordered his troops to calm the masses now muttering to each other. Clouds filled the sky and blocked the low light just before a sharp crack echoed across the valley and a sharp bolt of lightning crashed into the frames and splintered them. The humans fell to the ground grasping at their necks to loosen the now slackened nooses.

The clouds dispersed and Alexi glanced up before looking at his troops. "Kill them!" He spat gesturing at the fallen humans. His men stepped forward pulling swords from their belts. They paused however when the sound of wings met their eyes. Alexi looked up annoyed but stumbled at the sheer power coming off of the six Lamia lowering themselves to the decking. Their wings half folded up, but it didn't stop everyone from staring at the nearly completely black wings adorning the most powerful of them.

The guards dropped their swords and backed off and some of his council tried to run but hit a sheer wall of air. A shield. They fell back and grabbed for swords and bows but before they could attack the black winged leader spoke loudly.

"Drop your weapons and kneel before the Nuuruhuine!" His voice carried power and each word shook them to their bones forcing them to obey. Their swords and bows clattered to the ground and they fell to their knees.

"Vesser, Micha, see to the humans." Harry ordered, "If any of them try to stand, Nicole, kill them."

Harry, with Alex had his side stepped up to Alexi. The younger Vampire had Harry's hair but Alex's height and therefore had about six inches on Harry but everyone there agreed that Harry seemed to tower over his descendent. "Alexi Corvil. Explain yourself."

Alexi just stuttered as he tried to speak, but his Ancestor's shear power overwhelmed him. Before he could think of an excuse a wall of power struck him and his mental defences collapsed. His memories ran before his eyes with no conscious control.

"Alexi Corvil," Harry said, "Your crimes are punishable by death. Nicole."

Nicole paused looking at Harry, he rarely gave out a capital punishment. Whatever he had seen couldn't be good. She stepped forward and waited for Harry to collapse all of Alexi Corvil's natural shielding. She grasped at his life and pulled. The body slumped to the ground. Harry stared at each of the council individually and the guards standing around the fringes of the crowd.

"I need ten loyal guards and ten human volunteers to return to the Chamber of the Ancients to replenish the reserves of the Nuru Noste." He got the volunteers easily after the death of Alexi Corvil and the guards unfurled their wings slowly, almost ashamedly and waited for a human to slowly approach them. They latched onto the humans and beat their wings to gain altitude. "All other lamia return to the upper city and remain in your houses until you are visited by a Nuuruhuine."

The air was filled with wings as they took to the sky. Harry glanced around at the Vampires still present and told them to return to their barracks or homes and wait for word. The humans did the same, some going to the barracks or their own homes or even some of the nearest farms. Before they left however Harry raised his voice. "Spread the word. The Nuuruhuine are awake."

Alex turned to him. "What do you want us to do with the council?"

Harry just frowned and scratched his forehead annoyed. He looked them over. Without fail they were all young, younger than they had been asleep. "Lock them up in the lower city until they can be questioned." He turned to Nicole. "Can you get all of the Nuuruhuine and these humans to the Council chambers as soon as possible. Get them food and ale also."

Harry himself went with Alex back to the Chambers of the Ancients. They arrived just after the humans and the Lamia and waited patiently for the Nuru Noste to feed before speaking up. "Annette, you'll be pleased to know that Alexi is dead and the council imprisoned until they have been questioned. If you will all follow me to the council chambers we have things to discuss."

Alex sent the Lamia's back to their homes or barracks' and took up the rear of the group as they climbed to the very top of the tower. The council chambers was really a open aired room on the very top of the tallest tower of the Citadel. Arches ringed the area looking out into every sector of the region. Mythril webs hung from the arches pointing out the directions of Mirkwood, Rivendell, Mordor, Gondor, Edoras and hundreds of others set into the web.

Most of the Nuuruhuine were there, only a few were missing, moving around above the City making sure that nobody caused a problem. "We will have to move quickly." Harry told them. "Alexi and the old council allowed too much to happen without awakening us in fear of what we would do."

"What do you mean?"

"Alexi allowed the old kings of men to travel freely through our lands. They passed into the land of men on their way to the Shire two weeks ago." Harry explained.

"Ringwraiths?" Lex gasped.

"There is too much to be done here, especially if the Ringwraiths travel abroad again." Alex countered. "We must build up our defences and renew our alliances."

"If Sauran is arising again he will see us as a threat far greater than the humans." Jesu pointed out. "We must build up our own armies in preparation."

"We have the troops." Harry said drawing all of their attention. "Someone has found the ring. I can feel it's presence nearby." He looked out of the web towards the south and that of the marking of Bree. He tapped it with a finger before looking at the Nuru Noste lurking to one side.

"When was the last time that Gandalf the Grey visited?" He asked Annette.

"I don't know who that is." The rest of the Nuru Noste shook their heads to side with her.

"Four hundred years ago, give or take a few days." Archie joined the conversation with a frown. "I felt his mind as soon as he entered Morchaint but he never reached Dras Arget. I think he was chased out."

"You're the one that showed me the way to the Chamber of the Ancients!" Annette gasped as she felt the familiarity with the Vampire.

"Yes. I could feel your intention even in my sleep." Archie smiled.

"Only you could make that sleep pointless, Archie." Harry sighed. "You will all remain here and build up the defences. The viewing tower must be always manned to listen for my orders."

"Where are you going?" Kira spoke up and if she was human she would have gone red as all of the other occupants in the room looked at her like she was mad to be so blunt.

Harry just laughed. "Someone who will stick up for themselves against someone two thousand years their senior. I like it." Alex joined in laughing as they watched her go slightly pale as she shook. "I will be travelling south in search of Sauran's ring and the Ringwraiths."

"Can you defeat them?" Alex asked.

"No, but I only plan on finding out what they are doing and finding out what is happening out in the world." Harry told them. "I fly south immediately. Between you, fix what has happened here in our sleep. Send envoys to the Elves, Dwarves and Rohirrim but don't let anybody go alone. I will return soon."

With that Harry and Alex left to travel to the vault where the Nuuruhuine's weapons had been stored whilst they slept so that not even the Vampire council could get at them. Harry was soon armed with his two Mythril curved daggers and his bow and quiver of steel tipped arrows. He like most of the winged Vampire wore no armour on normal occasions since it just weighted them down when they flew. They'd only wear armour when going into battle and even then only mythril chain mail since it was so light.

He donned his black cloak and Alex helped him thread his wings through it. As long as a Lamia's wings where on the outside of clothing when it was put on they would always unfold from outside regardless. His cloak was specially designed to hold the quiver in a certain place to hide the slits in the back from prying sight if his wings were hidden.

"Your going to be alright yeah?" Alex asked him whilst picking up his own weapons from the velvet lined box.

"I'll be fine. If I don't find anything I myself will travel to Rivendell to speak to Elrond and hopefully Gandalf." Harry smiled at him. They kissed each other soundly before walking to the nearest balcony. Harry flexed his wings and allowed Alex to stroke them lightly to smooth a few ruffled feather before he tipped himself off the edge and glided out towards the southern horizon.

XOXOXOXOX

**Two days later**

Harry was surprised how easily he found the Ring. It's power was obvious to his senses from many miles away. He followed the 'scent' it had left to a small clearing covered in a canopy. He landed nearby and lingered in the morning shadows of the trees as one human and three small children broke camp in a hurry. He sniffed at them to seek their blood to find out what they were. The three 'children' were in fact hobbits, a race that Harry had had next to nothing to do with since they had travelled west and settle only just before he and his Nuuruhuine had slept.

The human was the most interesting, a Dunedain of about eighty years. It had been a long time since he had smelt the blood of the true kings of men. His clothing though was not the garb of kings however. He was dressed as a traveller in run down clothing. He was hiding.

Harry shook his head and stepped from the shadows. The two closest Hobbits scrambled backwards across the gear and ran for the Dunedain Human. The third Hobbit drew a dagger, no more than an eating knife and waved it towards Harry with little experience. The Dunedain looked at him closely even as he pulled his sword.

Harry left his cloak's hood up to hide his features for the time being but held out his hands to show he was looking for a fight. "Who are you?" The human asked.

"I am Harry." He told them, "From the kingdom of the North."

"Morchaint!" The man gasped and held his sword tighter, preparing for a fight. The use of the actual name of the plain gave the man away. Only Dwarves, Elves and the Rangers called their land Morchaint. The humans now called it the Blood Plains.

"Ranger." Harry said as he lowered his hood showing his elongated teeth in a smile that did nothing to reassure the halflings. "I am Nuuruhuine, if you know that name then you know I am an ally to the Elves."

"I know that name." The human paused. "I am Strider of the Rangers. I escort these three to the Elvish City of Rivendell."

Harry caught another whiff of life, recently departed. "Your number is recently depleted. Where is the Elf?"

"She rode to Rivendell with another Hobbit who was injured." Strider told him.

Harry tensed up. "You sent a Halfling east with only one Elf to guard him." Harry frowned. He switched to Elvish knowing that the Rangers used to know the Elvish language. "**And you sent them alone with the item with nine Ringwraiths in pursuit.'**

The man, Strider, tensed warily and eyed Harry before speaking. "**She is one of our fastest rider."**

"Get to Rivendell!" Harry snapped before unfurling his wings with a snap making the three halflings and even the Ranger take a step back, though the halflings almost fell to the ground. "I will fly ahead and escort them."

"The hobbit grows weaker." Strider called after him before he could leave. "He has the wound of a Morgul Blade."

"Then he will become a Nazgul." Harry said simply.

"Not if he gets to Elrond." Strider pointed out.

Harry just shook his head before flapping his wings with great strength to gain enough altitude to get above the highest tree before he shot off into the East, following the trail of the Elf. Their blood was so rich and powerful compared to the Dunedain or the Halflings.

It only took about an hour till he caught up with the lone rider and his timing was almost impeccable. The mountains around Rivendell were looming on the near horizon and from Harry's height he could see the glistening river that marked the edge of the Elves' country. Before he could react five black horses with black riders broke from the trees south of the Elf's white horse and another four broke from the North East treeline cutting her off and forcing her to detour slightly to the south and away from the only passage down from the hilly area she was on.

He folded his wings slightly to come down at the northern group to give her time to escape to the east. She ducked down as he shadow fell across her but rode on regardless trying to cut around the northern group to get through the passage before it closed. Harry swooped low towards the four riders and flared his wings at the last minute. Their horses scattered in all directions to avoid him. He spun around on the tip of his wing and flew a tight circle to prevent them from reforming and cutting her off.

He was pleased to see that she took the opportunity to make a break down the passage to the lower plains and the short distance to the trees of Trollshaw forest. He had to bank up to get out of the reach of their swords, poisoned as they were he didn't want to get cut by them.

In his effort the Nazgul followed on her trail, easily catching up to the horse forced to carry two riders instead of one. Harry dodged over them cutting between the Elf and the Nazgul at intervals when they got too close to grabbing at the Halfling riding behind her. When she hit the sparse trees of the forest he was forced to pull up away from the battle of speed to avoid being impaled on the trees.

He followed them to make sure they were safe and was pleased that within the tight confines of the forest the Nazgul were forced to break off and follow at a greater distance since the Elvish horses were far more nimble than those of Mordor. He tracked ahead to the Ford of Bruinen, the only crossing of the River within the Trollshaw forest.

He landed on a rock on the far side of the river and held his wings half folded with the sun at his back. He drew his bow from his back and knocked an arrow effortlessly. The Elvish rider broke the treeline and smashed through the water not two minutes after his arrival. She was followed closely by the nine Ringwraiths who drew up short at the water edge. The drove their horses into the water, the leader first.

"Give up the halfling She-elf!" The leader growled in a decayed voice. Harry loosed his arrow making them all snap their head around. The arrow drove straight through the gap in the horses neck armour sending it collapsing into the water. The rider fell off but drew himself up again with a glare. Harry knocked another arrow and took aim at his face, though any damage done would be negligible it would at least cause the thing pain.

"**Get out of here, Elf!" **Harry snapped in elfish. She didn't move instead pulling her horse backwards away from the water. She began mumbling and Harry realised she was calling on their water guardians. The Nazgul pulled out their swords and began to wade across the water. Harry adjusted his aim and took another of the horses out to give the Elf more time to work her kinds subtle blend of magic. He always avoided using his own since the immense power behind it always alerted his nastier enemies to his position and he could do subtle magic at all. He normally left most of the magic to the others in the Nuuruhuine.

He ended up taking out three more of the horses before the water flooded up to past the horses flanks. Harry paused and glanced upstream at the towering wall of water heading downstream. White facades of horses rode at the forefront. Harry unfurled his wings and beat furiously to make it over the edge of the water as his stone was overcome.

He watched from the air as the water overcame the Nazgul and swept them downstream. He looked to the side at the Elf just as the Halfling slipped from the harness and hit the ground hard. He angled his wings to bring himself down to the side of the Halfling just as the Elf jumped gracefully off the horse. His shadow fell across the Halflings body but he could hear the weakened heartbeat and erratic breathing.

"No Frodo!" The elf cried, completely ignoring the Vampires presence rather admirably. "Not now!"

She glanced at him quickly though went back to smoothing the Halflings hair back from his face. "What grace is given me, let it pass to him, let him be spared, save him." Harry started slightly, it had been a long time since he had ever seen an Elf care for another race enough to beg for their lives.

"That will not save him." Harry told the Elf. He had seen humans, elves and even Vampires succumb to the poison of a Morgul blade. He had had to kill an Elf and a Vampire when they had become Wraiths. "We must get him to Lord Elrond."

She stared up at the being she recognised as a Vampire, she remembered him vaguely from many years ago but all ties with the Vampires had been severed by orders of her Father. "We must hurry."

"Give him to me." Harry told her. "I can get him there faster than on horseback."

She stared at him for a moment longer before nodding. "Please hurry."

Harry knelt by Frodo and scooped him up in his arms. He spread his wings and with a beat strong enough to send the Elf to the ground and sand into the air he flew towards Rivendell in the east.

His approach to Rivendell didn't go unnoticed, normally the Lamia made a point to fly above the clouds so they couldn't be seen but with Frodo's extra weight he couldn't get the altitude without wasting more time and he didn't want to subject Frodo to the latent energy of the Thunderbird. As soon as he cleared the trees though the sight of the cliffs where the city of Rivendell was hidden.

It only took him a further ten minutes of flight to see the city but he could already see guards forming on the outer city limits. They obviously hadn't had much experience with good Vampires in the last few centuries.

He didn't slow him approach though he kept his altitude till he was well within the city limits before slowly descending so that they would get a good view of the burden he was carrying.

He landed uninterrupted on a balcony on the Hospital building that he remembered from his frequent trips here when he was helping the Elves fight off the Goblin armies of Goblin Town and other adversaries over the years. His wings knocked open the light doors and he strolled in to the shock of an Elvin servant making a bed. He dumped Frodo on the airy rooms bed and turned to the servant.

"Summon Lord Elrond, Tell him that Duke Harry Corvil of the Vampire City of Dras Arget is waiting for him." Harry said mimicking his first summons two thousand years ago. "And tell him that he must treat a Morgul Blade wound."

The woman ran for her life but Harry could sense that she would do as told. No doubt several guards if not hundreds were already on their way anyway if not Lord Elrond himself. He was the only Vampire with near black wings and Elrond knew that.

It took four hours of work before Elrond was finished. Harry waited patiently at the corner of the room watching him work with Gandalf who had made his grade arrival as soon as word of Harry's arrival had reached his ears.

"Archie tells me you came to visit?" Harry asked after a few hours of chatter. "Four hundred years ago."

"I knew you were sleeping and that things in Morchaint were changing so I came to see for myself." Gandalf paused, "I could sense that something wasn't right almost immediately and I don't have the abilities that you do to access the upper city. I fled at the first sign of your Black Cavalry."

"Smart move. We woke two days ago." Elrond was standing patiently to listen in. "A resistance group called Nuru Noste made up of changed Vampires and Humans woke us."

"What did you do?"

"Killed my ancestor for aiding Nacraemeus." Harry told them solemnly. "The others are setting things to rights. Envoys are being sent out to bring word of our awakening to our old allies."

"Your awakening couldn't come at a more useful time." Gandalf spoke. "This one carries the Ring of Power. Sauran's One Ring."

"Then I was correct in what I sensed. No other ring could have that power." Harry said glancing at the chain around the Hobbit's neck. "Why would you allow a Hobbit to carry it around?"

"We did not know what it was. We can not sense it like you can." Gandalf admitted. "It hides it's presence from us. It may see your kind as a potential Ally."

"Then I should probably keep the others away if I can." Harry sighed. "I trust them but not with that things power."

"I've already sent messengers to the Dwarves, Gondor and Mirkwood for a council session in two weeks." Elrond told them.

"What about Saruman and the Rohirrim, shouldn't they be present?" Harry asked.

"Saruman has allied himself with Sauran. He himself tried to turn me." Gandalf informed him with a sad look. "He has the Rohirrim under his control."

Harry growled, "I never did like him that much."

"Well, he never liked you at all." Gandalf grinned at him in his way. "Ever since that first Thunderbird attack on his tower."

Harry looked at the sleeping Hobbit and changed the subject. "Will he be alright?"

Elrond looked pensive. "If he survives the night then he will recover but he will always have the scar and the lingering pain."

"I could always turn him. It would ensure he survived." Harry suggested though he already knew what they would say. They both rounded on him but stopped short of shouting at him when they saw his smirk. "I was kidding of course. Plus his blood wouldn't taste very nice with the Nazgul poison in it."

"I am pleased that your sleep didn't effect your strange sense of humour." Elrond told him blandly.

"I'll leave you to explain why he remembers seeing a winged Vampire when he awakens." Harry told them. "Two weeks you say?"

"Indeed."

XOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	8. The Council

The Nuuruhuine

Chapter 8; The Council

Harry was met a few miles from Dras Arget by a large contingent of mounted soldiers consisting of thirty humans, thirty Vampires and thirty Lamia including all the members of the Nuru Noste. Harry formed them up in lines in front and behind in three lines with one of each 'race' in each row to show the equality that he believed in so strongly. The Nuru Noste had pride of place around him to show his gratitude for their courageous actions.

They marched slowly through the a city full of life and noise. The populace had transformed in his five day absence from their miserable situation to a happy life. The crowds cheered and waved as they marched up the market street towards the looming Shadow Citadel. It lay on the Northern side of the raised Upper city where light never reached due to the high latitude of Dras Arget. Since the Upper city was off limits to any but the Lamia and impossible to reach for anybody without wings the main government of Dras Arget gathered in the Shadow Citadel. The time when he had ordered the Lamia Guards to take Nuru Noste up was to protect them from any retribution from those that lost power in his awakening.

He was met by most of the members of the Nuuruhuine as well as any Vampire or Lamia that held power in the City. He was surprised at how large the crowd was that crammed into the huge courtyard that sat between the arms of the horseshoe shaped six floor buildings. The buildings grounds took up most of the area that was constantly under shadow since not many wished to live in such a place. No plants or trees could grow there so instead the area was dotted with statues built entirely in Mythril and crystal ornaments that with the aid of mirrors in the upper city cast a decorative sunlit glow over parts of the area.

He'd already called for a full council meeting and whilst he wasn't going to tell them of the Ring of Power he was going to put some major plans into order. As he dismounted with the Nuru Noste still acting as his personal guard, though it was unnecessary, he thought back to why they went to sleep in the first place. The Nuuruhuine had ruled without break for one thousand five hundred years and it had become tiring after so long. It had been decided that control would pass to a Council of all three 'races' in Dras Arget so that others could lead.

They could've just lived their lives, travelled, or hundred of other things but it was decided that they would sleep. Nobody really complained about it. After seventeen centuries of life, five more of sleep wasn't much of a concern for any of them.

He was beginning to regret it though. The troubles his people and his allies had gone through because of their inability to act but what was done was done. Now he had to assist his allies and prepare for a war.

He entered the Shadow Citadel and straight into the huge conference hall. If they were going to act they had to do it soon. He had gotten Archie to call the meeting and whilst the Nuru Noste filed into the first few rows he walked into the centre where his Nuuruhuine stood waiting.

"Welcome." He said as the room went quiet. "I our absence the world has become troubled. Powers have awoken whilst we slept that pose a threat against not only our allies but our own lives also. Not only that but our old enemies have been allowed to thrive whilst we went stagnant."

A roar of anger went up from the humans and Vampires in the room at the mention of their oppression. He allowed it to permeate the air for a while before he raised a hand to silence them.

They ignored him for a while so he let his powers spread out like an invisible fog, all those it touched went quiet as they felt it crackle across their skin. He waited for them to settle and even then he paused for a few seconds. Most of those here had never known him, it saddened him that barely a tenth of the group were over five hundred.

"The blame has been cast," Harry continued quietly, though his voice reached every ear easily. "Justice has been served, those you see here now are those that have no guilt on their conscience. We must now look to our future and that of Middle-Earth."

He saw nods around him so began to detail his ideas. "Nobody can know how our enemies will move against us. What we can be certain of is that they wont dare move against this fortress until either the world around us fall under their control or they have nothing left to lose." There was another hum of muttering that fell silent with a simple raise of his hand. "We must move our own forces to defend our allies, those that they _would _dare to move against."

He paused again and turned to look at all of his Nuuruhuine stood in the centre. "We must build up the forces already in Mirkwood, Rivendell and Rohan. Six hundred will march East through the pass and to Mirkwood, four hundred will march south to Rivendell with myself."

A small cheer of agreement rose from the seating. "The situation with the Rohirrim is tense, Saruman has turned to ally with Sauron so any large presence there will threaten the Horsemasters. The Nuru Noste will ride south through Bree to Rohan. They will take the farce of traders and watch the situation, aid if they can. They have been picked for this because Saruman will always be able to pick out the Lamia whether we hide or not. He will be blind to the presence of humans and Vampires."

He saw the Nuru Noste perk up at this task and he met Annette's eyes nodding to her briefly before continuing. "There is another avenue that must be closed. Sauron will most probably strike at the human world first but even if he doesn't we must have a large force in readiness in the southern lands."

"The Gondorian's will never allow a force within their lands." One of the older Vampires called out. A murmur of agreement ran through the crowd.

"That is only a minor problem for us." Harry said after he had allowed them to calm on his own. "Ready the ships and sail down the coast, build the army on the headland on Ered Nimrais and await the call. From there we can launch an attack into either Rohan or Gondor with ease."

There was more of a pause this time as he let them talk amongst themselves. Eventually they turned to him to wait for his next words. "We are those of the Blood Plains, those of Middle-Earth have always feared us for our skills, our cunning and our way of life. War is approaching and we will prove to them that their fear for us is justified." Harry paused for emphasis. "When this war is done, no being in Middle-Earth will ever approach Dras Arget with anything other than good intentions!"

It was simple but it did the job, cheers echoed through the room and Harry turned and walk out of the room followed by the rest of his Nuuruhuine. The paused in a side chamber as Harry decided who would go where.

"Separate your selves out logically. I will ride to Rivendell with the army that rides out in the morning. Archie, I want you in Rivendell as soon as you can get there as a central point of contact. Four of you must go East to Mirkwood and I'd like Vesser and Micha to be two of them; your command over the Earth will be useful in the forests and mountains there." Harry paused to think. "Jesu and Narima should go with the ships, your powers over water will give you defence against pirates. I want Gabi, Mila and Phillip to split. Two of you go with the fleet and the other to Rivendell. Use your illusions to keep the enemy in the dark as much as possible."

There were nods from the eight of them before he continued. "As for the rest of you, split between the forces as necessary but I want at least five of you to remain here to keep the peace."

The rest agreed and as he and Alexander left for some alone time they were finishing splitting themselves apart.

XOXOXOXOX

Most of the Lamia population lived within the walls of Dras Arget, the capital city of Morchaint or The Blood Plains as the humans had called their region after their need for blood. A few of the Lamia lived in the countryside either in small estates or within the towns that dotted the countryside. There were five large towns in Morchaint not including Dras Arget and then about two score worth of small villages that had sprung up at waypoints, crossroads and farm lands. Adurna lay on the opposite shore of Ice Bay and handled the vast majority of Morchaint's fishing quota. South of Ice Bay and further inland in a region of Morchaint that the Elves used to call Forochel was Serke Andon, named by the humans of the land to the south, in Elvish it meant the Great gates of blood.

A third town lay in the north settled comfortably under the Northern mountains and had been named Miril, an Elvish word meaning Shining Jewel, after the mining operations in the mountain that supplied the Mythril and other metals needed by those in Morchaint. The last two, Domia and Edoc'sil, - Dominance and Unconquerable - were the only two towns or more cities in their case that were fortified other than Dras Arget. They guarded the Eastern Passes and the Southern trade routes.

They had passed through Edoc'sil on the way through Morchaint on their way to Rivendell and had spent the night there in the vast military barracks there. Harry along with Archie, Phillip, Patia, Lex and Nicole sat with the cities leaders at the head table during a large feast in their honour though none of the six of them ate the human food. They had given up human food many centuries ago since the power in their bodies reacted badly to the sustenance. When Harry left the army in Rivendell they would be left with the five others, Archie and Patia would remain in Rivendell if the army moved on; Archie so that communication across the region was possible and Patia, with her powerful shields to protect her. Lex, Nicole and Phillip would command the army. Lex because he was a brilliant tactician and Nicole because of her assassination techniques.

It was a five day march from Dras Arget to Rivendell but with a days pause in Edoc'sil and then another day setting up a camp within the grounds of Trollshaw forest on the Elvin side of the bordering river. In all it was almost twelve days since he had left the Halfling in Rivendell before he strolled back through the gates of the Elvin City with Archie at his side.

Both had their wings hidden from sight as they were escorted up through the city's twisting labyrinth of pathways and corridors. They both knew how to navigate their way to the council chambers but the guards seemed not to trust them though they obviously knew what they were regardless of their invisible wings.

They had in fact arrived in the morning of the day that the council would be seated. Representatives from Gondor, the Dwarves and the Elves of Mirkwood and Rivendell had already arrived. As Harry walked in with Archie at his side he was pleased to see that the small Hobbit, Frodo, was looking healthy if not slightly small in comparison to the chair he was sitting in and the group of tall adults around them. The only members of the council that did not tower over him were the three Dwarves.

Seated beside Frodo was Gandalf the Grey with his wooden staff leaving against his inner leg as he sat back and listened to the idle chatter between the races. Beside him sat five Elves, three wore the green garb common among the Elves of Mirkwood though he didn't recognise any of them and by Harry's best guess they were all rather young, not more than eight hundred years old. The other two were far older and wore the formal clothing of the Rivendell Lords.

Then sat three humans in the black and silver uniform of the Gondorian military, of course he didn't recognise any of them since they were only a fraction as old as himself. One however wore the emblem of the Stewards of Gondor, a government established not long before his Nuuruhuine had slept. Next sat three Dwarves, though again, because of the Dwarven life span of just over four hundred years, he didn't recognise any of them. He could only tell that they were from the Northern mountains by their stouter forms and clothing.

The last around the circle was the lone Dunedain that had introduced himself as Strider. He sat silently as Gandalf did as he listened to the chatting of the other races. Harry spied the two empty seats next to the Hobbit and moved across the room towards them, he didn't plan on seating himself next to unpredictable humans, elves and dwarves that he didn't know. The room went silent as he and Archie came into sight and the only ones that didn't go for weapons were Gandalf, the Ranger, the two Rivendell Lords that seemed to recognise him from somewhere and of course the Hobbit that was clueless to what he was.

He barely altered his stride as he crossed the circle and nodded to Gandalf as he stood gesturing to the others to relax and he returned the nod and grasped Harry's forearm in greeting. The others muttered between themselves but relinquished their weapons in respect to the aged Wizard.

"Harry, I am glad that you were able to return in time, your advice would be greatly welcome." Gandalf said though his tone was stressed. He turned slightly to the seated Hobbit. "This is Frodo, I am sure you remember him from when you brought him here, though I doubt he remembers much of you."

"Frodo," Harry nodded at the halfling. "I am glad to see you recovered so quickly, you are truly a remarkable race."

"I remember you, I think. From when I was on the horse running from the Ringwraiths." The halfling told him. "Thank you for your help."

Harry was prevented from commenting as Lord Elrond stepped into the room and moved towards the single seat at the front of the room. The occupants of the room took their seats rapidly and Harry sat beside Frodo with Archie to his side.

"This private council is now in session." Elrond told them formally. Harry heard Archie snort slightly and sent him a curious thought in question. He felt Archie connect with his mind.

'_Closed session my arse.' _Archie laughed. '_There are two hobbits hiding in the corridor and another one just behind us in the plant pots.'_

Harry had to laugh and he leant to the side as Gandalf leaned in to find what was funny. "The other halflings don't seem to know the meaning of private." He whispered too low for anybody else to hear.

"I welcome our guests from Gondor, Mirkwood, the Lonely Mountain and Morchaint." There was a certain mutter at this last announcement but Elrond interrupted it. "We are here to discuss a matter of great importance."

"Why are they included in this matter?" Snarled the Gondorian human with the stewards emblem as he stood and gestured furiously at Harry and Archie. "For that matter, why are they even allowed to step inside these walls."

Harry didn't even flinch at the abuse and placed his hand on Archie's clenched fist to stop him from speaking. It was Gandalf that spoke up. "They are here because they can help us."

"They have done nothing but plunder our towns and murder our citizens." The human snarled again.

"These were not involved in those activities," Elrond spoke up, "I would not have allowed them within my city if that was the case. This is Lord Corvil, leader of the Nuuruhuine." This definitely got a reaction, everyone there apart from Frodo had heard tales of him and the only ones that were bad were those spoken in Gondor.

The human began to speak up again but this time Harry spoke up. "This is not why we are here. We have much more pressing matters to deal with."

Elrond nodded his gratitude and gestured for the human to take his seat. "Strangers from distant lands, friends of old. You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate--this one doom." He paused to step backwards toward his chair as he looked to Frodo. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."

Frodo jumped up from his seat and strolled quickly to a raised pedestal in the middle of the circle. He pulled a plain gold ring from his pocket and placed it in the centre of the rock table. There was a lot of whispering in the group as Frodo returned to his seat.

"So it is true." The human said. Gandalf leant to the side again over the Hobbits' head to inform Harry that he was Boromir, heir to the steward of Gondor.

"The doom of Men." Whispered another human in fear.

Boromir stood and began to pace. "It is a gift. A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this Ring?" Harry sighed and shook his head slightly. "Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe! Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him!"

"You cannot wield it! None of us can. The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master." Strider snapped from his seat.

"And what would a Ranger know of this matter?" Boromir countered.

One of the Mirkwood Elves jumped to his feet in defence of the Ranger. "This is no mere ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance!"

Boromir's head snapped back to face Aragorn. "Aragorn, this is Isildur's heir?"

"And heir to the throne of Gondor." The Elf continued. Harry frowned at the Dunedain and realised that it did make sense. The man had a resemblance to the old kings of men. He saw Frodo tense up to his side. Obviously on their travels to Rivendell Aragorn had never mentioned this.

"**Sit down, Legolas." **Aragorn said calmingly giving Harry the identity of the Elf. He remembered a Legolas from a visit that the royal family of Mirkwood had paid to Dras Arget.

"Gondor has no king." Boromir spoke simply. "Gondor needs no king."

"Aragorn is right." Gandalf spoke up as Boromir sat down. "We can not use this ring."

"You have only one choice." Elrond spoke up from his seat. "The Ring must be destroyed."

Harry and Archie were probably the only ones that could have made it to the pedestal in time but they didn't bother as one of the Dwarves leapt to his feet. "What are we waiting for?" He growled before dashing forwards and swinging his axe down onto the Ring with expert precision. Harry flinched his right hand off of his arm rest as a shard of the axe smacked violently into where his hand had just been. He looked down at it and then at Archie with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. They turned back to look at the Dwarf and found that he had been propelled backwards into his own chair with enough force to daze him. Harry heard Frodo wince beside him and both he and Gandalf looked at him in concern.

He felt somebody grasp his right arm and he spun to see Archie gripping his head. He sent telepathic waves towards his friend to boost his own defences enough to evict whatever he was feeling. After a few seconds, time that it took the dwarf to stand, Archie turned to Harry with a grateful smile.

'_It's speaking but I cant understand it.' _Archie told him.

"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin by any craft that we here possess." Elrond spoke up, "The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came."

Harry yanked the axe shard out of the arm of his chair and sent it skittering across the circle in contempt but waited in silence for Elrond to continue. "One of you must do this."

Harry swore that the others had ceased even breathing. He waited patiently and wasn't the least surprised that it was Boromir that spoke up. "One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its black gates are guarded by more than just orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. And the great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland. Riddled with fire and ash and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume." He snapped. "Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly!"

Legolas stood to argue, "Have you heard nothing that Lord Elrond has said. The Ring must be destroyed!"

Gimli, who had only just regained his seat jumped up again to round on the Elf. "And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?"

"And if we fail, what then?! What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?!" Boromir argued as he too joined those standing.

"I'll be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!" Gimli spun on Legolas in fury. The four other Elves leapt to their feet in response to the insult and Gimli's two companions did the same. As the argument continued others stood. Aragorn tried to stop the argument but only managed to get himself angry. Even Gandalf became irritated by the arguing.

'_The Ring is feeding their anger.' _Archie told him.

Harry knew it was true, he could feel the Ring's power spreading like a plague between the members of the council. He noticed that even Frodo was getting slightly agitated. He rose slowly and Archie followed him up. "Settle down!" His magic fuelled his words but they ignored him as their own tempers were fuelled by the Ring even as it rejoiced in their tempers.

'_They'll come to blows soon.' _Harry thought to Archie before repeating his order even louder. This time Gandalf looked at him as well as Elrond but the others didn't even seem to hear him. Frodo seemed to want to say something but Harry placed his hand on the Halflings shoulder to keep him silent. He felt his Thunderbird sizzling beneath his own mind, enraged at the group for ignoring him. The sky darkened in an instant as storm clouds covered the sun as thunder rolled through the city upsetting birds and Elves alike.

"**Silence!**" He roared out and the group seemed to be hit with a wave of air as thunder boomed out again. The group staggered backwards and a few fell into their chairs, only the Elves managed to do this without losing their dignity. Harry lowered his voice but still kept some of the thunderbird's power behind it. "We will get nowhere by succumbing to the Ring's power and killing each other."

"How can you tell us what to do?" Boromir stood again and took a step towards Harry and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"**Sit down!" **His voice rung clearly with power again and thunder rumbled again though this time quietly. Boromir sat himself down before he realised that his body was moving by itself.

"I'd rather see Elves take possession of the ring before I see it in the hands of a the Undead!" Gimli snarled rising again. Archie leapt to his feet with a growl his canines in plain sight and his eyes glowing with power. Gimli shrunk back but the motion only spurred others to rise. The argument began again and this time Harry was too busy calming his friend to bother to stop them.

When Frodo jumped to his feet and shouted something that only he heard he subdued the Thunderbird and disbanded the cloud cover. Frodo sucked in his breath and yelled out again to be heard by the others.

"I will take it!" Frodo yelled out and everybody fell silent and stared at him. Harry and Archie moved back to nearer Elrond's chair and they both felt the tension in the air crumble apart as the Ring withdrew it's power from them all. "I will take the Ring to Mordor." Frodo asserted confidently before growing slightly quieter. "Though I do not know the way."

Gandalf looked suddenly very tired as he moved to stand behind the Halfling and placed his hand on his shoulder. "I will help you bare this burden, Frodo Baggins. As long as it is yours to bare."

Aragorn was the next to step up to the Hobbit. "If by my life or death I can protect you I will. You have my sword."

"And you have my bow." The Elf, Legolas, asserted as he joined the three.

"And my axe!" Gimli grunted out and he stepped boldly up next to Frodo. Harry found it ironic that his axe currently littered the stone flooring of the balcony.

Harry frowned as Boromir also strode forwards, "You carry the fate of us all little one. If this is indeed the will of the council, Gondor will see it done."

Harry half turned to Archie and Archie instantly knew what he wanted. Archie closed his eyes and concentrated. After only a second his eyes opened again. '_Watch out for him but he has Middle-Earth's well-being at heart even if Gondor's realms take up most of that heart.' _He paused and a smile spread across his face. '_Our uninvited guests are about to join us.'_

Harry nodded to himself with a grin as another Hobbit ran from the bush that Frodo had sat in front of. "Hey!" He cried as he barged through the group to stand shoulder to shoulder with Frodo. "Mr. Frodo is not going anywhere without me!"

Elrond smiled ever so slightly, "No indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not."

"Wait we're coming too!" Another Hobbit cried out as he and a forth darted passed Harry to reach the others of their kind without the normal fear of Harry and Archie. "You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us!"

"Anyway you need people with intelligence on this sort of mission, quest, thing." The last of them said. Harry's eyebrows shot up as the other Hobbits looked at him with confusion.

"Well that rules you out, Pip." The third said.

Harry noticed in that instant that both Gandalf and Elrond were looking at him expectantly. He sighed, he hadn't even considered allowing the Ring far out of his sight until it was burning deep in the lava flows of Mount Doom but he didn't like being coerced into anything. He took a step forward and kneeled before Frodo and met his eyes. "If I can aid you again in this task then you have my word that I will do so." He said and waited for the Halflings nod before he stood and turned his back on the group to go back to Archie.

"Ten is hardly more useful than nine!" Boromir snapped.

Harry whirled and bared his teeth. "Perhaps you should stay behind then." The man roiled at the insult. "Sauron will know we travel with the Ring. It will not only be Saruman's spells and Sauron's orcs that we must fight against."

"Who else would want the Ring?" Frodo got up the courage to ask.

"Beings that we shall not speak of here." Elrond interrupted before Harry could answer him. Nacraemeus had almost destroyed Rivendell before and Elrond did not like them spoke of in his lands. "Ten companions." He continued when he had everybody's attention again. "So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!"

Harry met Gandalf's eyes. "We leave at dawn." He said and received a nod before he spun and started to leave the room.

"Great!" He heard the one called Pip say happily. "Where are we going?"

XOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	9. The Journey Begins

The Nuuruhuine

Chapter 9; The Journey begins

Harry stood beside Lord Elrond as the group now known as the Fellowship of the Ring shouldered their packs and fussed over their gear. "**The time has come, Duke Harry Corvill." **Elrond spoke in Elvish as he looked at the other immortal beside him. "**I don't know what will come of this. I have my doubts."**

"**Be at peace, my old friend." **Harry returned in the same language. "**Whether it is the right road to take or not it must still be done."**

"**Who will guard Morchaint whilst you are gone?"**

"**Alex will rule for the time being, though all of my friends still agree that when this crisis abates we will leave the power struggles for the young and vibrant." **Harry told him, he had used the same excuse five hundred years ago before going to sleep.

"**I would never say that you are not young and vibrant." **Elrond said with a quirk of the lips unnoticed by those around him.

Harry spied Archie coming up through the garden's paths and he switched to the common tongue before responding to Elrond. "Perhaps in body but not in mind. The curse of immortality that we share with our Elvish cousins." He smiled slightly before accepting a flask offered by Archie. It was a rather ornate bottle with engraved symbols around the outside. On the front was the Vampire symbol that stood for blood since that was what it contained. "Thank you, Archie."

"What will your army do?" Elrond asked also switching to common.

"They will remain in Trollshaw until they receive further orders." Harry told him simply. "Archie will remain here as long as you are willing to host him. From here he can relay information to me and vice-versa."

"Very well." Elrond nodded. Harry checked that he had everything he needed. He had enough blood in his canteen for two months, kept fresh by the engravings on the surface. He wore his normal black leathers and cloak, designed to permit the growth of his wings without damage. His two curved blades sat against his back with their handles accessible at the small of his back, set in such a way that they would be comfortable even with his wings extended. Over them sat his quiver of arrows and his bow, unstrung rested beside them.

A few knives dotted his person as well as bracers set on his forearms which were lined with a thing woven mesh of mythril to act as shields. Finally, on his hip was slung the ten inch curved horn of Morchaint that seemed to split into several tubes and the mythril it was made of gleamed where it was exposed within it's black leather coating. He slipped the canteen into a pouch in the side of his quiver before turning back to Archie. He grasped him arm and made eye contact for a second before turning aside. Nothing needed saying, his Nuuruhuine would keep Morchaint intact whilst he was gone.

He strolled easily other to where Gandalf and Aragorn stood waiting for the others to finish getting ready. Gandalf like himself had no pack but unlike Harry who wore his weapons on the outside, Gandalf's were beneath his grey cloak and Harry knew that the only weapons that the Wizard carried were his sword and his staff which was more often used in fights than his sword.

The others in the group all wore larger packs and they also had a donkey with saddlebags full of food and supplies. Aragorn, who Harry had learnt had been brought up partly in Rivendell and partly in the Northern lands, knew of the Nuuruhuine and had taken Elrond and Gandalf's assurances of Harry's trustworthiness to heart but even with his upbringing around true stories of Vampire he had never met one on good terms.

"You carry little." Aragorn pointed out as he looked over Harry's rather numerous weapons. Aragorn was the unofficial leader of the group. Even though Gandalf and Harry had several thousand years worth of experience then him and the others they were more like guides to the group rather than leaders. The others might take orders easily from Gandalf as well but it would be a long time before the dwarfs and humans took orders or advice from a vampire. The Hobbits were an unknown when it came to Vampires, and Harry would have to find out what they knew or had been told recently.

"The more I carry the more speed I lose." Harry told the older looking man simply with little emotion. His position was an oddity to the others. He seemed only about twenty-five in comparison to Aragorn, Legolas and Boromir and even Gimli who all looked to be at least in their late thirties even though only Boromir was actually the age he looked. He was Aragorn's senior even though, by looks, Aragorn was old enough to be his father.

"What about food and supplies?" Aragorn asked with a slight frown, so concerned with the supply status of the whole group that he wasn't thinking as clearly as he should be. "What will you survive off of? This road will not be a short one."

"You may be old in the terms of mortal men, Dunedain." Harry turned the full weight of his gaze squarely on Aragorn and narrowed his eyes slightly. "Do not forget what I am and do not presume that you know enough to give me advice in this manner."

Aragorn blanched slightly but covered by making sure that the halflings were all ready to depart. As he moved away Gandalf turned slightly to face Harry. "Was that necessary?"

"Yes." Harry told the older Wizard bluntly. "I may look young but I will not allow then to treat me as a child. The sooner they realise that the sooner we can make use of this truce. He is not ignorant but he still has much to learn of the powers in this world."

"You are right of course, Harry." Gandalf sighed. "I do not believe it will be from Aragorn that you receive the most trouble from however." Harry knew who he was talking about. The halflings didn't fear him, Legolas and Gimli were in like mind in their distrust in him but they would learn. The problem would come from the Gondorian, Boromir who at that instant tried to meet Harry's gaze with a glare. Harry held it without changing his expression from his blank façade and was satisfied when Boromir broke away from the confrontation.

"These things have a way of sorting themselves out." Harry muttered to Gandalf as they stepped forward to join the, now ready, party.

"Yes they do." Gandalf agreed. "But only afterwards do we know whether it will be for the better or the worse."

Harry chuckled as he took his position within the group as they said a final farewell to the Elves of Rivendell. Gandalf led the way out of the gates with Frodo at his side. Aragorn and Gimli followed them out with the three halflings behind them. The donkey was next led by the Hobbit called Samwise. Legolas and Boromir went next and Harry nodded at Elrond and Archie before ducking out of the gate on their tale.

They walked in silence for a time and soon any sight of Rivendell was hidden by the trees of Trollshaw. The two Hobbits, Peregrin and Meriadoc, started chatting to each other and Frodo fell back along the line to talk to Samwise. Eventually the others started their own conversation and the line became more of a group, moving together but still in pairs or threes. Harry, for the most part ignored the conversation, though his ears picked out every word muttered.

"I don't know why we need him." Boromir's voice cut across the others though it was pitched so low that not even the halflings, standing at half the distance could hear him. To Harry however it was as if someone was speaking directly in his ear. "It's as good as having the enemy in our councils."

Legolas and Gimli said nothing to this although they were the ones that had been addressed. Gandalf betrayed his own advanced hearing by glancing over his shoulder, passed Boromir and to Harry. Harry shook his head slightly to tell the Wizard to let it pass.

The day passed in this way, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn kept an eye on him and even stopped Frodo and Peregrin from falling back to talk to him. The sun had long passed the zenith when Harry heard it. A low horn call about half a mile away to the West. The group staggered to a halt as Legolas and the four halflings gripped their ears. Harry found this interesting since evidently the halflings had similar hearing to the Elves, a fact he hadn't known. Boromir and Aragorn drew their swords and shook their heads as if banishing an annoying insect from beside their ears. Even Gandalf, who had heard the horn's call many time, still found it displeasing. The only two not effected were Gimli and of course himself.

Dwarves, used to the distorted sounds of their caves and with remarkably different hearing than the surface dwellers were barely effected by the horn's of Morchaint but they were still oblivious to the extra tones that made the call actually pleasing to the ear.

"Are we being attacked?" Meriadoc gasped and the four Hobbit's drew in together around the donkey. Legolas pulled his knife out since his bow was still unstrung and joined the others in their defensive stand. Gandalf looked to Harry and he stepped forwards.

"Lower your weapons. That was a summon." Harry told the four weapon wielding adults before he pulled his own horn from his belt. He glanced at the four Hobbits who were watching him intently. "Cover your ears." He glanced briefly at Legolas to convey the same message to him also before he brought the horn to his lips. He blew out three short blasts and they echoed through the trees.

There was a brief pause before an identical call came back to him through the leaves. He turned to Gandalf and nodded to him and slipped into the shadows of the dense tree cover. He heard cries of outrage from behind him but went into a jog regardless. Gandalf would continue their journey and Harry would catch up before nightfall or send a messenger as was the custom.

Harry slid out of the trees ten minutes later into a clearing with three humans and three Vampires waiting for him. They wore the green and black armour of Morchaint's military and stood patiently as they awaited his approach. As soon as he stopped in front of them they went onto one knee.

"Arise." Harry told them simply and waited for them to stand again before continuing. "My departure from the Fellowship will not ingratiate my position with the others. What is so important that you would summon me with a horn rather than reporting to a telepath and relaying the message through the Nuuruhuine?"

They all winced slightly but recovered as they realised that Harry was just being curious rather than reprimanding. One of the human's, possibly in his early forties, stepped forwards, he wore the strips of a Captain, he commanded these men. "My Lord." He started. "We were instructed to scout in edge of the forest and south along the river. We ran into undead goblin scouts. We killed them and then found their army."

"What did you find?" Harry asked.

"An army of at least three hundreds. I left most of my men at the forest edge an hours walk and then marched north to intercept your party." The man told him. "I sent word to camp."

"Sent to intercept us maybe?" Harry pondered but the man kept quiet. "Return to your men, Captain."

"Yes, my Lord." Harry glanced up at the sky. The sun belied the time as being mid afternoon as the six men turned and loped off south. Harry turned and slid back through the forest. He came across the path slightly further forwards along the road then the party and waited for them to come up with him. Boromir, Legolas and Gimli hung back with the halflings, keeping their distance from him.

He fought down the urge to roll his eyes at their petty attitudes but as much as it annoyed him he couldn't blame them, for the last century the only side of the Lamias they had seen was their penchant for war. Aragorn and Gandalf walked up to him with curious looks. "Let's continue." Was all Harry said. Hopefully the situation would be dealt with before the left the comparative safety of the woods. As the group move forwards again Harry pulled his bow and strung it with deft movements of his hands. He slung it over his shoulder so that it rested across his left shoulder and down onto his right hip.

Harry glanced at Legolas and Aragorn and held their eyes until they also strung their bows. He didn't have to say why but with Aragorn's nod to his Elven friend both did as he had advised. He could hear muttering from Boromir as they walked towards the edge of the forest.

It was another hour before they reached the southern most tip of Trollshaw forest, the ground dipped away across the valley as the river wound it's way gently down to the horizon. The mountains spread across the left of this visa and in the distance they could make out an outcropping of rocks that would give them shelter. Gandalf and he had originally planned to spend the night at that outcropping but Harry led them instead into an a clearing just on the edge of the trees that only had a small gap exposed.

"Why do we wait?" Boromir demanded even as the Halflings flopped to the ground with exhaustion and began digging through their packs. "We should continue to a more defensible position."

"We will camp here tonight." Harry told them all bluntly before turning his back and walking to that small gap in the trees where three men could stand side by side and look down across the valley.

"One man! We should leave here. These forest are full of blood-suckers and monsters!" Boromir argued. Harry repressed the urge to argue back. He had long passed the age where he required everyone to agree with him. He could understand now why Dumbledore had never quite been straight with him.

Gandalf and Aragorn watched him but eventually they turned to the others and ordered them to set up camp for the night. He met Gandalf's eye with a brief glance before contacting Archie mentally, easily done at such a small distance.

'_Where are you?' _He asked.

'_We're riding south along the river.' _Archie reported having heard the reports from the main camp. '_We'll clear the area between the river and the mountains to allow you passage during the night.'_

'_Contact me when it's done. And send an escort to meet us outside the forest. I don't want to take any chances.' _Harry said and although it wasn't an order he knew that it would be done.

'_Humans, Vampires or Lamias?' _Archie asked.

'_Equal Humans and Vampires on the ground and send ten Lamia into the air as scouts but tell them to stay low so they cant be seen against the sky.' _Harry ordered before hesitating. '_Best warn them that I'll pull up some nasty weather to cover the full moon.'_

The connection snapped off as Archie withdrew his mind. A mind more powerful then even Harry's. He realised that Aragorn was stood beside him. Harry glanced at him and then at the others. Gandalf saw caught his attention and stood. Harry glanced at the other adults and the aged Wizards caught his meaning and gestured for them to follow him over to him and Aragorn.

"An small army stand between us and our path." He told them all as he pointed to a small black group clustered against a bend in the river. From this distance it was barely visible but Legolas could make them out.

"Goblins!" The normally gentle Elf spat.

"Undead Goblins. They are not inhibited by daylight and will run without tiring." Gandalf countered.

"What do we do?" Aragorn asked. "Can they see us here?"

"They will find us." Harry told them all but the gestured to the right where the river broke from the forest. A group of two hundred riders broke were breaking out of the trees and cantering across the plains even as the light faded steadily. "My men will clear the way for us. Eat and then rest, we leave as soon as we receive the all clear. They have been sent to intercept us but with luck we can slip out unseen and mislead the enemy to believe that we had chosen a different route."

"And trust undead monsters to guard us whilst we sleep!?" Boromir spat in disgust. "I'd rather take my chances now when we still have light to see."

Harry had had enough. He span on his heals with his eyes flashing with fury at the insult. He drew back his lips to expose his lengthened canines. "I tire of your insults mortal!" He snapped, his power branching out to make the human quail under the weight of it. Clouds formed across the sky as his Thunderbird rustled within his mind. "You will do as I say or I will tie to a tree and leave you behind!"

"I will not let down my guard around monsters." Boromir pulled himself upright from where he had been forced to stoop. Harry lifted his hand and pulled up his magic and cast a sleeping spell on the human. Aragorn caught him as he fell to the ground.

"Was that necessary, Harry?" Gandalf asked with a sigh.

Harry shrugged. "Not really but we all need rest and this may be the last time that we can all get some sleep without fear. We will be well protected tonight." Harry told them all as he gestured to the trees around their camp. The others looked in the aforementioned direction and noticed the faint forms of figures lurking within the shadows.

"He is right." Aragorn said. "Will eat and then sleep. We will have to rise early."

"I will keep watch." Legolas offered since Elves needed much less sleep then most and normally spent their nights in a light state of meditation.

"You should sleep." Harry told the Elf and continued before he could argue. "We will not be in a safe place for a long time and I would like your ever watchful eyes open longer after this night."

The Elf looked at him for a while before nodding. "I will sleep while I can."

"You trust him so easily?" Gimli joined the conversation for the first time.

"I remember the Nuuruhuine from the old days." Legolas admitted. "My father has spoken for the last few centuries that when the Nuuruhuine woke again things would be better. And I believe him."

The others all broke away to eat as Harry stared out into the night, focusing on the clouds forming in the clear sky and channelling his Animagus' power into them to darken them without creating a storm. The result was a sudden darkening of the sky which blotted out the last of the night like something had just extinguished the sun.

The task had only taken him a few minutes but it took him twice that long to give them life so that they wouldn't dissipate without his magic to fuel them. He felt a tug at his sleeve and realised that one of the Hobbits had approached him. Harry was again shocked by the Halflings. They had the hearing of Elves and walked on almost silent feet.

He turned to look down at the small creature in the campfire's glow and saw that Peregrin held a small wooden plate with sausages on it. "Did you want some food, Master Vampire?"

"No thank you, Peregrin." Harry shook his head. "We do not eat human food."

"You don't eat food!?" The small Hobbit gasped as he ran back to the fire with Harry in tow. Harry sat before the fire allowing the heat to ebb into his skin. "What do you eat?"

"We don't eat." Harry told him with a smile as he pulled out his flask. He brought it to his lips and took a small mouthful and immediately felt it fill every part of his body with life. "We can drink water for refreshment but we live off of blood."

"So the stories are true then." The Hobbit called Meriadoc asked from Harry other side as the two sat. Aragorn sat opposite them to listen as they finished off their food.

"What stories, Meriadoc?" Harry asked.

"It's Merry, and that's Pippin." The halfling started. "There's tales of monsters that roam the Shire at night and drink the blood of Hobbits. We were always told the stories when we were younger to get us to do what our parents wanted."

Harry laughed. They'd become the monsters under the bed. "I admit that our image isn't what I would have wished but we live off of the blood of others. Those that don't understand what we are will always fear us."

"What can you do?" Pippin asked with a grin.

"If you can get him to answer that I would be shocked." Came the sudden voice of Legolas as he came up and joined the circle. "My father always used to say that more was known about our enemies than our allies."

"We keep our abilities to ourselves on the most part but I can share a few generalities with you." Harry told them. "We are like Elves in many ways, we can hear and see better than humans though not as well as the Elves but we do have better accuracy with our hearing."

"What does that mean?" Pippin asked. "More accurate?"

"Elves can hear noises over longer distances but imagine a room full of people. We can listen to a whisper within the midst of shouting." Harry explained. "Also, we are faster than anything in this world. We are stronger than five humans and heal far faster than normal but that comes at the price of needing the blood of living beings."

Harry spent the next few minutes explaining the different races that lived in Morchaint before he ushered the Halflings to their beds to get some rest. "They are a rather inquisitive race." Harry spoke.

"They are." Aragorn agreed.

Harry looked between the Dunedain and the Elf. "Do you trust me?"

"As I said before. I remember meeting you when I was young." Legolas nodded to him. "And I trust my fathers judgement in this."

"I trust Lord Elrond and Gandalf." Aragorn told him. "I will trust you as far as that leads."

"Then let us hope that I can prove my trustworthiness." Harry told them. "But you must accept the way I do things."

The other two nodded before they headed for their beds. Harry headed back for the gap in the trees and listened to the thump of horses hooves as his troops circled between the river and the undead army to keep the eastern plains free of dead goblins. Apart from that low thunder of noise the air was uncannily silent. The presence of so many undead always silenced the normal noises of nature. It always reminded him of the Dementors of Earth.

He waited for several hours as the armies vied for position before the thunder of horses breaking into a gallop reached his ears. Magic sprung into the air as fire spread out in a large eight pointed web from the centre of what must have been the undead army. Obviously Crysta, their fire elemental was within that army or somewhere in the air above it. He toyed with the idea of changing into his Thunderbird form and helping out but he knew it was unnecessary. The fire was already spreading across the plains through the undead armies.

It had been a long time since Nacraemeus had attempted to attack his armies but obviously the Necromancer hadn't expected that Harry would have an army around.

Harry was just thinking about contacting Archie when he heard the sound of approaching horses and a nagging prickle against his mind. Even though Archie could easily contact Harry even through his barriers he was always the polite one.

Harry opened up the connection. '_What is it?'_

'_The undead have been routed. The necromancer is on the run and is using the remainder of the goblins as distractions.' _Archie told him, '_If you leave now you can slip passed without them knowing.'_

'_Thank you, Archie.' _Harry raised his barriers again and felt Archie withdraw from his mind. He moved to Legolas' side and placed a hand on the Elf's arm. The Elf came awake instantly and reached for his bow. "It's time, wake the Hobbits."

Legolas nodded before moving away into the darkness and Harry moved to wake Aragorn, Gimli and Gandalf. He then withdrew his magic from Boromir and sent a sharp nudge with his mind to awaken the human who bolted upright with a gasp.

"Gather your gear, we leave immediately." Harry told them all. He was grateful that the fire was still glowing with enough light to see by. Harry waited whilst the donkey's saddlebags were filled and the others donned their cloaks. Harry drew his bow from his shoulder and pulled and arrow ready as they turned to him. Legolas copied the gesture as the others unclipped their swords. "Stay silent and stay together. We'll have an escort on foot but they wont speak to us. We have four hours of darkness to leave the plains. We wont be stopping."

With that Harry reached his magic out to the fire and smothered it. Smoke rose as it died and the clearing went black. Harry led the way in the near darkness since he could still see in the darkness almost as well as in the light. They walked quickly down the hill and Harry paused as forms materialised out of the darkness. Fully forty of his troops circled them with a few flitting Lamia above them.

They walked in this way through the rest of the night and into the dawn. As the light built through the dying cloud cover Harry stopped to bid their escort goodbye. They saluted him before breaking into a loping run back towards the river where their approach would only look like a clean-up sweep rather than returning from escorting them.

"We'll walk 'till midday and then stop for lunch." Aragorn decided taking command now that they were passed the trouble. Harry nodded to show that he agreed and they began the long journey south to Rohan.

XOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	10. Caradhras

The Nuuruhuine

A/N; Please read my profile for information regarding updating Fighting the Gods

Chapter 10; Caradhras

The fellowship walked through most of the next day after their flight from Trollshaw to put as much distance between themselves and the routed undead groups fleeing Harry's army.

They stopped only at lunch and even then Harry kept the stop far shorter than the Hobbits truly needed. He stayed out of the sky so they would be harder to follow but still they moved too slowly for Harry's liking who knew that which ever of Nacraemeus' lackeys was commanding the now defeated undead army they would have sent a group this way after their defeat either to send word across the mountains or to try to determine the Fellowships route.

They camped that night after covering a decent thirty miles and Harry couldn't help but feel sorry as he watched the four Hobbits collapse to the ground without bothering to eat. Boromir glared at Harry before moving to help them sort through their food and light a fire.

"Was that pace really necessary?" Aragorn asked Gandalf and Harry as they too began to set up a camp.

"Have you ever tried to outrun the Undead on foot, Ranger?" Harry asked without emotion. "They can run at their original forms speed without tiring and without need for food or water."

"In this case Goblins." Aragorn sighed with a slow nod. "Do you think we may be in danger?"

"No group large enough to do us serious harm could've escaped the route." Harry assured him. "I do not wish to take the chance however. Better the Halflings be exhausted than dead."

"Are the undead likely to want the Ring? They cannot use it after all." Aragorn pointed out.

"Their masters can." Legolas pointed out as he joined the group. "And they work for the Dark Lord."

Harry decided to be plain with them. "In this instance it is not that the Ring will return to its Master that concerns me but to the undead's Master."

"Nacraemeus?" Legolas asked with a raised eyebrow. "Surely the Dark Lord would never allow him to keep it for himself."

"If Nacraemeus can get the Ring then the Dark Lord may have no choice in the matter." Harry sighed. "Nacraemeus is twisted enough to be able to use it and he wouldn't think twice before trying to grab for the power."

"How do you know so well how he would use it?" Aragorn asked.

"Lord Harry has fought for two millennia to keep the human worlds safe from Nacraemeus' hordes." Gandalf pointed out with a stern look. "He knows this foe better than even I."

"I will tell them the truth, Gandalf." Harry told his ancient friend who already knew the truth. "They may be forced to face him eventually. The Nuuruhuine arrived on this planet after a magical calamity in our own world that forced us here. This happened whilst we were fighting a battle against Nacraemeus and his inner circle and we were not the only to come through the portal."

"You mean that the undead are from your world?" Aragorn asked with a shocked look.

"No. Only Nacraemeus and his original Inner Circle which we hunted down and destroyed." Harry told them all sternly. "I knew Nacraemeus when we were both far younger than yourselves. He was this way long before he took to the Cursed Magicks and no matter the time that passes he will never change." Harry grinned as he remembered Albus' words so long ago. "Absolute power corrupts absolutely. It is one of the reasons why my Nuuruhuine and myself slept for the last hundred years. To allow others to leave outside the shadow of beings of near absolute power and to ensure that we never became to comfortable ruling as to change our views. It is why those who have the most years and the best minds have control of our armies and not necessarily those with the largest power."

"Those with power don't necessarily know how to use it wisely." Legolas nodded in agreement as he spoke finally understanding and accepting Harry. Legolas was an elf however and the others wouldn't understand Harry as easily."

"Get some rest tonight. We leave in the morning south. We'll travel along the foothills as it will slow down any pursuers." Gandalf raised his voice so that the Hobbits, Gimli and Gandalf could hear him.

"I don't like the idea of running from our enemies. It is cowardly." Gimli muttered though it didn't seem to Harry that the Dwarf thought that staying to fight a possible enemy was the best idea either.

Harry smirked. "You are welcome to remain here and fight them when they arrive if you wish, Master Dwarf." Gimli looked up at him with a glare but smirked slightly as he tapped his axe when he saw Harry's light hearted expression.

"Only if you remain also to prove the supposed unmatchable skills of the Vampires!" Gimli challenged.

"They'll be plenty of time to prove our fighting skills in the upcoming journey." Harry smiled at the courageous Dwarf before becoming thoughtful. "Boromir, Gimli. You two are in charge of teaching the Halflings how to fight properly. Is that acceptable?"

Gimli and Boromir looked at each other before glancing at the Hobbits quickly. Boromir looked like he wanted to argue for the sake of arguing but thought better of it since training the Hobbits was a good idea. "We'll do it."

"Good." Harry nodded gratefully before turning on the listening Hobbits. "You'll begin when we stop for lunch tomorrow."

"How long can we stop tomorrow for lunch?" Aragorn asked.

"Myself and Legolas will remain behind tomorrow. I will scout from the sky and we will destroy anything following our route." Aragorn seemed to want to protest just the two remaining behind. "We can both run at a fast pace and easily catch up to you before long and if you change route I will be able to sense you easily enough."

Gandalf looked thoughtful for a second before glancing at Legolas who nodded his agreement followed then by Aragorn. Finally he turned back to Harry and nodded. "Agreed."

XOXOXOXOX

**The next morning**

Harry and Legolas took the watch that night since neither needed to sleep and instead watched out across the landscape from their respective perches since their eyes could detect movement even in the dark even if only Harry's could actually see anything in the almost pitch dark night.

The group left quickly with the donkey bearing the additional weight of Legolas' pack and Harry waited until they were far enough away before he spread his wings with a groan of satisfaction. He left Legolas on the ground as he soared up into the sky and within a few minutes found a small cluster of undead Goblins running down the side of a steep hill. He had been right about them being sent but Harry got no thrill out of his guess since if he and Legolas hadn't waited the group would have converged with the Fellowship a little after mid morning.

He landed before they saw him and waited for Legolas to run down the hillside he had taken up sentry on using his advanced sight to scan the horizon. "There's about thirty undead ranging up from the north following the groups tracks." Harry told the Elf as he collapsed his wings behind him though he didn't have the heart just yet to pull them in.

"How long 'till they reach us?" Legolas asked.

"At their pace probably in about an hour." Harry said. "They'll come straight up this ravine."

Legolas glanced to the small hills on either side and nodded at Harry's unspoken plan. They began work on collecting logs and staking them in a natural way on each of the small hills on either side of the path that led up into the foot hills beyond and took their hiding places just short of an hour later as both heard the soft patter of Goblin feet coming from around a small bend in the path.

Harry crouched with an arrow strung and the other two dozen lightly stuck in the ground behind his fallen log palisade. Legolas was doing the same on the other hill opposite and as soon as half the group was passed them they crouched up slightly and released two arrows simultaneously at different ends of the thirty strong party. Two more arrows were released in flashes before the first two Goblins had fallen with arrows through their hearts. The only way to kill them beyond burning.

In this way the small undead scouting group fell from the front and back and only a few managed to make it half way up the hills towards their attackers and only one arrow had managed to bury itself in Legolas' palisade before the whole group was destroyed.

Harry stood and watched with satisfaction as the Goblin corpses began to sink inwards as the necromancy that held them in life fleeted away and allowed decomposition to catch up. These undead were obviously at least a year old by the look of the speed that they fell apart and Harry was satisfied that in a few hour there would be little left to tell of their defeat.

Harry grinned at Legolas and hooked his bow over his back as they collected their arrows carefully and put them away. With that they turned and began their run to catch up to the Fellowship. An easy task for a Vampire and an Elf.

It was just before the group stopped as noon when Harry and Legolas caught up to the group without even breathing heavily. Harry let Legolas tell them all what had happened as they walked up one of the higher foot hills that led to the top of a valley that they would have to pass through in order to continue south along the west side of the mountain range.

Harry chatted with Gandalf about where the Goblin corpses had come from originally as Legolas helped Aragorn unburden the donkey as the rest of the group started dividing up the food they would eat. Harry waited quietly as the group ate but new that he had to save the blood that he had. It would be a long journey before they reached their destination.

After lunch was eaten they rested for a while. Gandalf and Aragorn lit their pipes as Harry watched over Boromir and Gimli as they taught their charges in basic fighting methods in two groups.

Harry turned from this and from cleaning his used arrows as Gandalf began telling the other adults their path. "We'll travel south for forty days until we can pass through the Gap of Rohan and then onwards to Mordor." He didn't look happy with the concept.

"If anyone was to ask for my opinion, which I note they're not, I'd say we were taking the long way around." Gimli muttered. "Gandalf, we could pass through the Mines of Moria. My cousin Balin would give us a royal welcome."

"No Gimli, I would not take the roads through Moria unless I had no other choice." Gandalf retorted sternly which made Harry look at him confused. He had been to Moria several times in the last millennia and saw no reason to attempt the pass especially with the situation with Saruman blocking the Gap of Rohan but he let it pass. He had been asleep for a long time and Gandalf would have a good reason even if he didn't want to share it with him.

Before the argument could continue Harry saw Legolas tense and he too turned to the south at a low hanging cloud that looked suspiciously black. Harry narrowed his eyes and stood up to stand beside the Elf even as a small fight began between Merry, Pippin and Boromir.

Sam paused in his own training to look at the cloud. "What is that?"

"Nothing." Grunted Gimli whilst tapping out his pipe. "Just a whiff of cloud."

Boromir, who had paused in his wrestling match, spoke up with uncertainty. "It's moving fast." He frowned. "Against the wind."

Harry had just managed to make out the tiny movement he recognised as wings when Legolas gasped. "Crebain from Dunland!" He announced sending everyone into motion except for the Halflings.

Harry cursed even as the others began scrambling for hidey holes within the camp. Crebain were large ravens who served as Saruman's eyes and ears in the world whilst he hid in his tower. Hiding behind rocks would help them against a horde of them especially since their camp was too obvious.

Harry reached out with his magic and snubbed the fire before Sam would waste time trying to put it out and raised his voice. "Everyone stop. Don't move!" His voice held power and they did as he said as they crouched low to the ground, even Boromir. He raised his hands and called his power up into the air around him as he began an incantation in Latin that he had learnt after becoming a Vampire. The words flew from his mouth and the others felt a wash of warmth as the magic swelled over them and then up into a dome around the hilltop.

No sooner had he finished the Crebain arrived in a flurry of wings and no matter how hard they tried they couldn't fight passed the dome nor could they see those within it. Only the campsite. It was too late to hide their presence and Harry knew it but he could at least hide who their members were and how many were in the party.

The Crebain flew off as soon as they realised that they couldn't penetrate Harry's shield and Harry watched the fly off before releasing the magic that hid them. "What was that?" Frodo asked him as the four Halflings stared at him with awe.

"One of my spells." Harry told them before turning to Gandalf with a sigh. "They will report where we are to Saruman however my spell prevented them from seeing which members are within the party."

"It is better than nothing." Gandalf sighed. "Though they will undoubtedly watch the passes to the south. The Gap of Rohan is now closed to us."

"The Pass?" Harry asked with a rather foreboding feeling.

"We must take the Pass of Caradhras." Gandalf declared to everyone. "It is but a five day journey to the south of here. They will not be able to report back until we are well within the mountains."

"I hope you are right." Harry muttered though he was sure that they should be able to pass unhindered through the mountains before Saruman could send anything their way.

XOXOXOXOX

The next day they continued down their track at a steady pace. Harry, Aragorn and Gandalf knew that to cross the Pass of Caradhras the Hobbits would need all their strength so they only ever stopped for lunch and then again in the evening to get the Halflings used to long hauls since their would only be a few safe places to stop on the mountain pass. It was ironic that the only suitable mountain pass for them happened to be in the eves of the largest mountain in the Misty Mountains.

That evening, Aragorn stopped the party early when there was still plenty of daylight left. Even with the early stop they still covered more distance than normal because of the lack of proper breaks.

Harry found himself staring up at the mountains that blocked their view of the western horizon. The sky was clear and the sun low behind them making them look even more majestic.

"Do you like mountains?" Harry would have jumped if he'd been a human but being a Vampire he had smelt the blood of the Hobbit who had snuck up on him. He turned his head to see Frodo standing beside him. Merry, Pippin and Sam were gathered behind them getting ready for their fighting lessens.

"The winged Vampires, the Lamia, have a fascination with mountains." Harry admitted. "We are drawn to them much as Dwarves are drawn to digging within them. However we are more interested in standing upon them."

"They're so high though." Frodo remarked.

"We fly just as high normally." Harry told him with a smile. "No Hobbit, Elf, Dwarf or human could ever imagine the freedom one feels when you are flying."

"I'd like to be able to fly." Frodo said with sadness.

Harry took pity on the Hobbit. "Perhaps when this is all over I will carry you up."

A huge grin broke out on Frodo's face at this promise and Harry couldn't help but smile slightly too. They were interrupted by Merry who suddenly appeared between them. "Can you teach us how to fight with those?"

Harry glanced at the Halfling and realised he was pointing at Harry's back where his two curved blades were sheaved. Harry pulled one out from the bottom and held it out for the Hobbit to see though he didn't allow the Halfling to touch the blade. He saw Gandalf watching him carefully knowing what resided upon those blades.

"Be careful to never touch the blade of one of my Vampires. They are all covered in a poison which lasts for centuries and will kill all but a Vampire in seconds." Harry warned. "This weapons are hard to fight with."

"Why do you carry two?" Pippin asked from Harry's other side and Harry realised that they four Hobbits were ignoring their training to talk to him. He turned on the spot to face the camp before answering.

"I fight with two blades." Harry told them with a shrug.

"A fool thing to do if you ask me." Boromir muttered but it was loud enough for all to here. "Any wise soldier fights with a shield at his side in battle."

Harry looked at him calmly before directing his voice back to the Halflings. "We have little use for shields since they way us down and only the most devastating wounds can kill us." To prove his point he drew the blade down and slashed the palm of his hand. The Halflings gasped but were shocked when only a small trickle of blood escaped the wound before it knitted itself back together. Harry grabbed a rag from a nearby bag and wiped the still wet blood from his hand.

"Can we see you fight?" Pippin asked. Harry looked around the group and realised that with the exception of Gandalf, who Harry had fought beside many time, they all seemed to want to see it. "Can't you teach us today?"

"You shouldn't offer yourself before the blade of a Vampire!" Boromir spoke up angrily. "They are just as likely to stab you in the back before teach you."

"Boromir!" Gandalf warned the human.

"Vampires are all the same." Boromir argued. "They attack when you least expect it. They cant fight face to face."

Gandalf glanced at Harry and saw his emotionless face. Harry looked at him with a small nod before drawing his other sword. "Draw your weapon then and prove what you just said."

Harry stalked forwards silently to Gandalf's side as the human went about getting ready to fight him. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli went over to Boromir to offer advice on how to strike but Boromir seemed too confident in his own abilities to listen properly.

"Is this wise?" Gandalf asked him.

"I've had enough of his insults. If we get into a fight it would be dangerous to those that we protect if he spends his time watching me." Harry pointed out and the aged wizard nodded. "Should I end this quickly or beat him to a pulp?"

"Just don't cut him. I don't want him dead." Gandalf shook his head in exasperation. Harry moved to the small patch of ground that Boromir and Gimli had cleared of rocks ready for their training session and stood ready.

"Watch carefully." Harry turned to the Halflings as he passed Sam his bow and quiver. "See whose method you prefer and keep it in mind."

Boromir grunted to show that he was ready and Harry turned back. He reversed his right sword in a deft manner before nodding at Aragorn who had elected himself as a referee.

"Begin!" Aragorn called out.

Harry had decided to end the first round quickly to prove his abilities and then if Boromir was still arrogant enough to want to fight again he would beat the man to an early grave, though not literally. Unfortunately.

Before Boromir could take two steps forward and raise his words into a ready position Harry had leapt forwards. The onlookers were still looking at where he had been as Harry jumped to Boromir's side in a blur that only Legolas could even start to follow properly. He brought his sword up to rest lightly against the padded shirt that Boromir wore.

The group gasped as they caught up with the bare second of fighting and Boromir actually dropped his sword. "Finished!" Aragorn announced just as shocked as the others though Harry heard Gandalf chuckle slightly. "Harry wins." Harry stepped back to his start position but turned to the Halflings.

"In every battle thought between us and an army the front lines of the enemy die before they even realise they are being attacked. Entire human armies have fallen in this manner against a fraction of the numbers they possess." Harry told them. "Only Elves can hope to defend themselves and even then never that effectively."

Legolas nodded slightly to show that he accepted the praise, veiled as it was. "Again!" Boromir demanded and Harry turned to face him with a nod to Aragorn.

"Begin!" Aragorn announced again.

Harry didn't defeat the human straight away this time and waited for the human to attack first. Mainly because he wanted his own assessment on the human's skills. According to Aragorn and Gandalf, Boromir was one of the best human fighters who was also brilliant with strategy. He was only blinded by the tales of terror told to children in Gondor of blood-sucking monsters.

Harry blocked Boromir's strike with his left sword and pushed the sword back which made Boromir's eyes widen slightly as he was thrown backwards. Harry closed the gap at a normal, human, speed before blocking and counter striking. They danced in this way for several minutes and Harry found himself impressed by the human's skills. Though easily outmatched by most Lamia, Vampires and all of the Nuuruhuine. Harry did have to admit that the human he fought now would be hard beaten by any but the Captains of his human troops.

Harry disarmed the man with a flick of his upturned sword that deadened the man's wrist and a yank of the other sword when unexpected that sent the sword into a tree just beside where Aragorn stood. Harry backed up from the panting human as Aragorn, rather shakily, declared him the winner. "You fought well. Much better than most humans, but I warn you never insult another Vampire. Especially one of my Nuuruhuine as they will happily riddle you with wounds before leaving you to die." Harry voice was light and the words were taken as the warning they were by the human rather than a threat.

Harry spent the evening training the four Hobbits to use two swords though they only had one each. They weren't built to use shields and Harry would have to try to get them a second weapon before long. Once the sun was down and the Hobbits exhausted and falling to sleep, Harry accepted the offer from Legolas to go over some drills and they spent almost an hour sparring with barely a sound as Gimli watched on. Harry knew that they would all want to test themselves against him just as the Captains of his troops had done before they had slept.

Harry didn't disarm the Elf but backed off once after a time knowing that no elf liked to be disarmed. Legolas nodded to him for this since he knew that he could've been disarmed in seconds. Elves had a hand in creating their own weapons, a tradition that Morchaint had copied. It made them fond of their weapons and also created custom weapons. No soldier of Morchaint liked to be separated from their weapons for long either.

XOXOXOXOXOX

**A few days later**

The rest of the four days were spent in the same manner. They walk for the majority of the daylight hours, stopping only for an hour at lunch where Boromir and Gimli would train the Hobbits in fighting. Then they would walk again until dusk before setting up camp, eating supper. Harry would then train the Hobbits as well as teach everyone more about the Undead legions as well as explain Morchaint. This was an activity that even the humans, Elf and Dwarf joined in since they all had questions.

They reached the entrance to the pass a little passed dawn on the fifth day and Harry barely let them pause before leading them through the narrow valley that sat like a sentinel gate to the mountain pass. The going was tough as the pathway zigzagged through the scree strewn sides of the mountains. It wasn't until after their lunch stop that they came into view of Caradhras. The peak split through the air thousands of feet higher than those around it. Snow covered its massive walls and their path was invisible from this distance.

Their path now along a ridge from this mountain across two others tips before leading around the mass that was Caradhras. "I don't like the idea of being this exposed." Aragorn muttered darkly.

"Harry?" Gandalf asked as he two joined them. They were both wearing thicker jackets, thus far stored on the donkey. The hobbits were still struggling into their with the help of the others. "You said you sent troops south to the Gap of Rohan?"

"I did. I sent the Nuru Noste to spy on the Rohirrim." Harry admitted though it wasn't a secret from Gandalf. The idea of him spying on others might annoy Aragorn who was probably wondering who else was being spied upon.

"Who are the Nuru Noste?" Aragorn asked.

"They were a covert rebel group that formed about one-hundred and fifty years ago to oppose the corrupt government that ruled Morchaint whilst we slept." Harry told the Dunedain calmly. "I gave them this task since they are extremely skilled in going unnoticed."

"Is there anyway of contacting them to see if the Crebain reached Saruman yet?" Gandalf asked.

"Do not allow anyone to interrupt me." Harry told them bluntly before shutting his eyes and letting his mind go free.

He felt his mind sweep across the area washing over the fellowship like rain making them all shiver and look at him. He lashed out to the south following the line of the mountains until he felt the familiar feeling of Annette's mind which he had memorised after searching her memories when she had awoken him.

He followed her trace to the Rohirrim's city of Edoras. The streets were filled with unfamiliar human minds that he ignored but he found Annette and six other Vampires collected in a basement and his mind slammed into her sending her to her knees.

"_Annette, leader of the Nuru Noste." _He greeted her with a calm voice.

"_Lord Corvill?" _She was shocked

"_I am crossing the Pass of Caradhras." _Harry told her_. "I cannot keep this connection open for long without exhausting you. You must drink immediately afterwards to recover from my contact."_

"_Yes, my Lord."_

"_Have you anything important to report that you have not already reported?" _He said referring to her twice a week report to Archie.

"_Nothing I have not already reported, My Lord." _She said confused.

"_Have you sighted any Crebain messengers?" _He asked as he used her eyes to look around the six Vampires and two humans who were trying to work out why she had gone to her knees suddenly. One was calling for one of the humans to offer his blood.

"_Yes." _She seemed shocked that he knew. "_A flock arrived from the north. I just received word an hour ago that they had flown into pits opening up around Isengard."_

"_They have reported our position to Saruman. Do not allow Saruman to discover you even if you must kill to do so. Understood?" _Harry demanded.

"_I understand." _She wasn't happy at that but it was an order and Harry knew she would follow it if there was no other choice. "_I'm concerned about the king, my Lord. I've reported it but it seems as though he is under a spell. He sent horsemen out into the plains to hunt for travellers."_

"_Do what you can but don't get caught." _Harry ordered her. "_Pass on my thanks to your men. Now drink or you may slip into unconciousness." _He could already feel her weakening as she tried to cope with direct contact with and Ancients mind. Only Archie could split his mind between his body and the open air enough to prevent his presence from harming them. He felt her collapse and blood trickling into her mouth as he pulled back. He searched out the King of Rohan in his hall built from wood as the rest of the city was. There was barely a mind in the great hall and the first he encountered disgusted him. He recognised it instantly as that of the Wizard Grima Wormtongue who had been exiled from Morchaint after trying to murder one of the Nuuruhuine just over six hundred years ago. He was one of the weakest of the Wizards but still an enemy to be wary of. He had managed to sneak into Dras Arget undetected after all which wasn't an easy task.

He made contact with the Wizard's mind but didn't attempt to break his defences. He only did it for amusement and was satisfied as the Wizard went pale and collapsed to the ground muttering as if mad. He broke the contact instantly knowing that it would act as a warning to the Wizard. The only other minds in the hall were that of two guards who he ignored as they ran to the Wizard's assistance and the mind of another human. The King's mind was there but it was weak, like that of a man on his death bed. He sensed that there was something wrong but couldn't work it out at this distance.

He withdraw and snapped his mind back to his body and staggered at the feeling of having legs and arms once again. "Grima!" He snarled shocking Gandalf.

"What about him?" Gandalf asked.

Harry rounded on him with livid eyes. "He's done something to the King of Rohan. I touched both minds though didn't bother to try to break into Grima's. The King's mind resembles that of a dying man."

"Did you not get anything on Grima's plan?" Gandalf asked.

"I doubt I could've broken through his defences at this distance. I caught him by surprise." Harry grinned maliciously. "He's probably still rolling around on the ground like a coward at the contact though."

"You can reach people across that distance?" Aragorn was clearly shocked and slightly wary.

"I can, though I only made contact with the King after speaking to my own agent." Harry admitted. "She told me that the King was acting strangely. He has sent patrols out to intercept all travellers from the west."

"You think he's against us?" Aragorn asked.

"The King's mind is failing. He probably doesn't even know what is happening in his kingdom." Harry reported. "As for the Crebain, they arrived in newly dug pits around Isengard this morning."

"So we're safe?" Aragorn asked with a frown. "Nothing could travel North in time to intercept us before we reach the East."

Harry hesitated as he thought before taking a mouthful from his canteen. He winced as the dying taste of the blood. It was barely more than sustenance now. He had counted on being able to take a personal detour to the human towns on the Dunland plains. This blood would do but it wouldn't have any usefulness in a few weeks time.

"Nothing could reach us in time." Harry assured Aragorn but he shared a look with Gandalf. Nothing but magic could travel that distance in a day.

XOXOXOXOX

**Caradhras; A day later**

The group had camped just below the snow line of the mountain the night before and since it would take two days to cross the actual mountain they would have to find shelter on the mountain for one night before they were safely across. They trekked up into the deeper snow witch was slowly causing trouble for Gandalf and Aragorn who went first to break a path through the snow. Gimli followed them but had more trouble because of his weight and height made him almost invisible to everyone else. The Hobbit's weren't any better off though they were lighter so they had to spend less time than the other digging through collapsed snow. Boromir brought up the rear of the group to ensure that none of the Hobbits slipped or were left trailing.

Harry and Legolas had an easy time of it compared to the others. Both Lamia and Elves could walk on snow like it was stone. Their footprints barely even visible just like they never left a trail on dirt or grass. Elves did this naturally and could sink through if they made an effort whilst the Lamia had to extend their wings to walk on the top of the snow which to Harry was a good excuse to stretch his wings. They both ranged along the length of the group to keep an eye on them all and because with their added height they could see obstacles from further off.

To Harry's disappointment and quite a bit on concern the wind had been rising all day until he was forced to collapse his wings into his back to keep them from being caught by the wing and throwing him from the thin path. It wasn't too much of a concern since he could still walk without sinking but every Lamia enjoyed the feeling of wind in their wings, especially cold wind like this.

It was a little before mid afternoon when Frodo, who was the last in the line of Hobbit's slipped and tumbled back passed a briefly distracted Boromir and down the slope for several metres before he came to a stop. Legolas started running down the slope to help the poor Halfling but Harry suddenly felt like they weren't alone. He glanced at Gandalf as he felt a whispering voice coming from between himself and Frodo. Without thinking he grabbed his bow and had an arrow aimed at Boromir in a second.

Gimli, who stood little higher than Harry's knee in the snow drift put his hand on his axe but Gandalf steadied him before he could strike at Harry.

Harry took two steps forwards passed the huddled Halflings and blocked the few metres between them and Boromir. Obviously, in his tumble, the ring had come off from around Frodo's neck and it had felt that freedom and was reaching out for another, more pliable, bearer.

Boromir had picked it up and now stood holding it. Harry could feel the Ring sweeping through Boromir's mind, whispering of power and promises of protection for Gondor. If the human tried to put it on he have Harry's arrow through his chest before he could do anything. Just like he had told Annette, sometimes people had to die for the greater good. Keeping the Ring from human hands was important enough to kill one of two.

"Boromir!" Aragorn shouted at the other human in warning, but the Gondorian barely glanced at him and Harry's arrow before staring back at the Ring dangling from its chain in front of his face. Frodo had managed to get to his feet now and was moving cautiously back to Boromir to reclaim it but whether he was more scared of Boromir or Harry he didn't know.

"It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear over so small a thing." Boromir muttered ironically. "Such a little thing."

"Boromir!" Aragorn cried again. "Give the Ring to Frodo!"

Boromir seemed to shake himself before he dropped the chain and Ring into Frodo's hand before tousling the small Hobbit's hair. Harry relaxed the string of his bow and glanced back at Gandalf and Aragorn with a rather troubled look and saw that both relaxed their hands from their weapons before turning and continuing their climb.

Harry let Boromir pass him before he put away the arrow and slung the bow over his back. He let Legolas aid Frodo level with him before waving Legolas forwards and began walking beside Frodo within the trench made by the larger people to the front.

"Would you have shot him?" Frodo asked whilst they were still ten metres behind Boromir's form. Harry gazed forwards at the human for several seconds.

"He isn't a bad man, Frodo." Harry told him. "The Ring slowly turns even the kindest of men against their friends, all for the single task of corrupting one bearer for long enough to return to its home. To have carried that Ring for so long without it having an effect on you is remarkable and worthy of recognition."

"So if it fell into the hands of someone else?" Frodo asked.

"Had Boromir tried to keep the Ring for himself I would have shot him." Harry said calmly. "The Ring is too powerful to be used. It's fate must be its destruction. For that reason you are the only member here that I wouldn't sacrifice to achieve that goal."

"Including yourself?" Frodo asked sceptically.

"The Ring would not allow me to take it. It knows that I could destroy it's master with its power before it could betray me." Harry told the Hobbit. "I have created a place in this world where races can live happily. I would gladly die to see that it remains safe from it's enemies just as I have done for thousands of years."

Frodo relaxed slightly. "You may have heard horror stories of my kind, Frodo, but you have nothing to fear from me." Harry told him. "I will protect you till my last breath."

"Do you breathe?" Frodo asked to lighten the mood.

"It wouldn't kill me not too." Harry laughed just as they caught up to the group. His humour faded however when a wall of white crashed into them as a blizzard swept across the side of the mountain. "This isn't natural. Catch up to Gimli!" Harry told Frodo and waited till Frodo was passed Boromir who was ushering the Hobbit forwards and together for protection. Harry wanted Frodo just behind the Dwarf since he was the sturdiest there and less prone to being blown about. Harry jumped up onto the top of the snow and ran lightly across the snow to catch up with the front. He paused next to Gimli and told the Dwarf to keep a firm hold on Frodo before he caught up with Legolas.

He waved the Elf down into the trench where he was less exposed and was glad when a violent sweep of wing blew him backwards and caught the underside of his wings throwing them backwards. Harry struggled to close them again but managed with a lot of effort. "Gandalf!" He heard Aragorn yell as the human saw him struggling and trying to help in collapse his wings. "We have to take shelter!"

Gandalf stopped and spun around as the other cluster together. Harry dropped into a crouch but stayed near the edge so that he could get to anybody in the group if they needed it. He was the only one who wouldn't die if they were blown from the ledge.

"Harry!" Gandalf yelled over the tearing wind and driving snow. "Cant you control it!"

"It's not natural." Harry shouted backwards, adding power to his voice to cut through the noise. "If I change it'll only add to the storm. I could take control but the sheer force would obliterate the path!"

Legolas noticed the voice before the others. "There's a foul voice on the wind!" By the time the words were spoken, both Harry and Gandalf could hear the voice of Saruman incanting a weather spell.

Gandalf braced himself and clambered onto the unpacked snow before raising his staff and crying out a counter spell to protect them. A blast of lightening shot down the cliff side as if it response by Gandalf didn't even wince. Harry turned and waved the others back under the cliff so they were less exposed. He was about to add his own protective spells when a great crash echoed through the air as a lightning bolt struck the cliff a hundred feet above them sending snow and rock flying down the cliff above them.

Aragorn grabbed the Wizard around the waist and yanked him backward just as the others took cover. In that second Harry registered where the rocks where and took action. The only rocks falling would strike where Merry, Pippin, Gimli and Frodo were huddled. Sam was already being protected by Boromir's form so Harry threw himself forwards and uncurled his wings just as the snow and rock struck the ledge and onwards.

His wings easily covered the four shorter than normal beings protecting them all from the rocks but his wings weren't invincible and whilst most of the rocks just bounced off of him and the snow piled up like a cocoon. One larger rock stuck his wing joint halfway along his right wing snapping it inwards. He cried out as the pain lanced along to his back but Gimli and Frodo were saved from the weight as the Dwarf pushed up against the joint to hold his wing up like a tent.

They were that way for about two minutes before Harry could muster the strength in his left wing to force the snow backwards and allow the two Hobbits there to clamber out. "His wings broken!" He heard Pippin yell to someone and he felt the rough hands of people clearing the snow from his right wing. He pushed off of the ground with hand helping him that he recognised as Legolas' and watched dizzily as Frodo and Gimli were helped out of the snow drift.

Harry looked around and noticed that not only the lightning had stopped but the wind was dying away. The storm was failing but Harry knew they couldn't really continue like this.

"Are you alright?" Frodo asked in concern. Harry looked at the Hobbit in surprise before nodding slowly. He glanced at his wing and tried to raise from where it hung awkwardly but the motion was fruitless and only sent pain into his back. He gasped and his other wing strained in sympathy.

"Well that's broken." Aragorn commented.

"I'm grateful to you!" Gimli grunted. "That was one hefty rock."

Harry glanced at the Dwarves feet where a rock of at least twenty kilo's sat. Harry shrugged off the gratitude with only a nod of acceptance knowing that if their positions had been reversed the Dwarf would've moved to protect the Hobbits.

"Saruman doesn't want us to continue on this path." Gandalf came to Harry's side and studied his broken wing carefully without touching it.

"He will be tired after that storm." Harry pointed out.

"We cant risk it." Gandalf sighed quietly.

"Our only other path remaining is that of Moria." Harry pointed out and saw Gimli perk up slightly. "Let Frodo decide."

Frodo looked like a deer caught by a hunter as Harry and Gandalf, as well as many of the others, looked at him. "Moria." Frodo muttered eventually and Gandalf sighed slightly though it was too slight for anybody but Harry to notice.

"Aragorn!" Harry turned on the human. "I need you to fold my wing for me."

"Will it heal like that?" Aragorn asked.

"No, but it will do until we reach safer ground." Harry told him. "Legolas, do you have some rope?"

The Elf nodded and between Gimli, Aragorn and Legolas and with Gandalf to make sure they folded it right, they managed to collapse the wing and then tie in to the other and then to his torso so that it couldn't move.

Harry flexed his arms to check he could still reach out and grab his weapons if he needed them and was satisfied that he only got a small flare of pain from them. "Let's go. We'll return to the camp we stayed at last night." Aragorn declared. Harry clambered up onto the top of the snow with Legolas' help and they began their trek back down the west side of the mountain again.

Harry was glad he didn't have to trudge through the snow like the others since he was already getting shooting pains whenever his feet touched the ground but it wouldn't have mattered since he couldn't pull in his wings if they were damaged. He'd have to let them heal naturally and that would take a few weeks at least without fresh blood to drink.

There rather exhausted group managed to reach the camp again before sunset and Harry was relieved when Legolas untied the rope and Harry could lie down on a blanket with his wings stretched out.

"They're beautiful." Harry turned his head to see Frodo looking at his wings with reverence. As the campfire took light the glow shined off of the wings, black shine. The dark green that laced the feathers was barely visible but still drew the attention.

His right wing was bleeding on the underside, which was now the top side, where the first bone had ripped through the skin. The blood gave it a rather nasty look that Harry couldn't stand. Lamia loved their wings and any damage to them was immensely regretted.

"Gandalf? You need to set the bone before it can be allowed to heal." Gandalf looked pale at the idea but nodded and moved to check the break whilst Harry looked around for Aragorn. "You'll need everyone but the Hobbit's to hold down the wing so I don't accidentally harm Gandalf." The human nodded and called Legolas, Gimli and Boromir over and told them what they needed to do. Gimli took position at Harry neck with Legolas half way between Harry and Gandalf who was in the middle. Aragorn and Boromir took position along the outer stretch.

Harry had to explain to the Dwarf and Elf where to put their hands since they were holding down the stronger part of the wing being the stronger beings. They were still in the most risky place. Harry motioned the four Hobbits away from his other wing and braced himself when Gandalf warned him. He felt a slight pain as the four others pushed down along his wing to hold it in place.

Gandalf didn't count down like somebody on Earth would but instead just snapped the bone back into place. Harry couldn't help it when his other wing lashed out and struck a sapling tree. It bent and snapped as the force of the strike and as the pain of the setting faded, Harry curled it back into his body like a cocoon before laying it flat again.

They others backed off slowly so that Harry could check his right wing himself and he nodded with satisfaction that it was straight before allowing Gimli to help his sit up and then stand. The wing protested the movement and Harry felt rather lopsided as he folded his left wing.

"Can you fold it and bind it again?" Harry asked Aragorn, Legolas and Gandalf as Boromir and Gimli went to help the Hobbits sort out their supper.

Aragorn nodded and Legolas grabbed the rope by Gandalf stopped them. "Shouldn't you be able to heal a broken bone?"

"Normally yes. But the blood I have isn't fresh enough to do more than sustain me." Harry told the three as they watched him. "It'll heal faster than a normal broken bone but it will take several weeks before I can pull them in again."

Aragorn frowned but didn't say anything. Gandalf sighed knowing that with a broken wing Harry wouldn't be able to get to a populated area to steal the blood he needed.

"What about mine?" Legolas asked. "I know there are rules against it but I don't mind."

"Elf blood only aggravates wounds like this. It makes us more energetic and alive but doesn't heal us." Harry sighed. "Just fold it. Once we're back in the foot hills I'll catch a deer. That should boosts it's healing long enough to reach Moria."

"Take mine then." Aragorn suddenly spoke making the other three look at him in surprise. It hadn't been too much of a shock when Legolas had said it since their race was closer to Morchaint and protected from the theft of their blood. But for a non-Morchaint human to offer who hadn't known Harry for more than two weeks was shocking. "You saved Frodo and Arwin from Wraiths, you saved us form Undead a week ago and you did this whilst saving Gimli, Frodo, Merry and Pippin. It's the least I can do to pay you back."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked. "I'll need quite a bit."

"As long as you don't kill me, its fine." Aragorn smirked slightly though he sound as confident as he looked. Harry looked around and noticed that everyone in the camp had stopped to watch as soon as Aragorn had made the offer.

"You're a willing donor so it will feel strange for you. Try not to think of anything personal or you will share it with me." Harry warned him. "I'll block my mind as much as I can to protect yours but you'll still feel it."

Aragorn nodded to show he understood but Gandalf wasn't confident the warning was taken to heart. "Be careful Aragorn, willingly giving blood is actually more dangerous than having it taken. It's a pleasant experience but don't be drawn into Harry's mind." Gandalf warned and Aragorn lost his confident look. "You'll be tempted like a mouth to flame but resist it. Concentrate on being alone as much as possible. Only the most powerful and oldest minds on this Middle-Earth can resist the lure of the Nuuruhuine's minds."

"Are you still sure?" Harry checked but still received a nod. As long as Aragorn remembered the warnings he would be fine and even if he forgot, Harry could stop him from being too drawn into it and could always stop drinking if it came to it. Aragorn moved to stand before Harry and looked unsure of himself. "Give me your wrist. We don't drink from the neck unless its involuntary since it can affect the brain to lose blood so close to it."

Aragorn pulled up his sleeve and Harry took the offered arm gently before smoothly puncturing the skin with his canine teeth. He started drinking and instantly felt Aragorn's mind close to his own.

_Harry was sparring with another Dunedain within a temporary camp when he knocked the older youth down. His opponent groaned as his head hit a rock and blood ran down the back of his neck._

_Harry ran from a burning camp as hordes of skeletons flooded through the tents slaughtering all they came into contact with. His parents had remained behind to give them time to run._

_The Elf princess, Arwen stood upon a bridge before him and announced her love for him whilst handing him her Pendant to keep with him._

The memories stopped as Aragorn got control of his memories but Harry could instead feel their minds getting closer together as Aragorn found himself drawn into the sheer depths of mind. He built a wall of lightning to force the inquisitive mind to retreat slightly and left a verbal impression for Aragorn to read to warn him from allowing himself to come any closer.

Harry drew back five minutes later and caught the human in his arms to stop him sagging to the ground. He checked the wrist to ensure the wound had closed before handing Aragorn to Boromir to care for. He stretched his wing with a satisfied grin as it reacted to his presence and he unfolded his other wing and flapped them once to check it was fully healed.

Frodo came over with a bowl of warned water and a rag and insisted that Harry bend his wing down so that he could clean the dried blood from it. Harry gave the small Hobbit a grateful smile and messed the mop of black hair up before turning to Gandalf. "He has a lot of darkness in his memories but he has a lot of light to counter it." Harry told him simply.

"Arwen?" Gandalf said more than asked.

Harry nodded. "Did you know he wears her pendant?" He asked so quietly that only the Wizard and Elf could have heard. Legolas looked shocked at the news but Gandalf, though obviously not having known, took it in his stride. "That is a truly noble sacrifice for an Elf to make."

Legolas nodded with a sad look before he strolled off towards where Sam, Merry and Pippin were sitting down to eat a stew. "Is your wing fully healed?" Frodo asked as he lightly washed off the blood.

"I wont fly on it unless I have to for the next few days but it'll be fine." Harry told the smallest Hobbit with a smile as the Halflings finished and Harry folded the wings behind his back before pulling them in with a sigh. He rolled his shoulders to release the tension before turning to Gandalf who was still waiting patiently. "I'm going to contact Archie for a report and to let him know our changed plans."

Gandalf nodded before leading Frodo away to give him peace. Harry smiled softly before letting his eyes shut and letting his mind escape it's prison.

XOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	11. The Depths

The Nuuruhuine

Chapter 11; The Depths

**Two days after Caradhras**

Harry had decided to stick close to Frodo since Boromir had handled the Ring and he kept his mind open to the Ring to see if it reach out for the human again but it did nothing. He could sense that Frodo was weakening ever so slightly every day but he knew that if anyone could carry the Ring all the way to Mordor it was him.

He'd spoken to Gandalf privately the last night they camped. Harry had wanted to know why Gandalf feared Moria so much. Both he and Gandalf had stayed within the Halls of Moria before and come to know harm, he remembered now what had been said.

"After you were diminished the Dwarves delved too greedily and too deeply into their mines. They awoke something there and were forced to close entire sections of their caves." Gandalf had told him with fear in his eyes. "I do not wish to lead this fellowship anywhere near what they found."

"Yet we have no choice." Harry had replied and as the great walls of Moria appeared over the peaks of the hills he still thought that. It had been hundreds of years since he had stepped foot in Moria or Gimli's home. What welcome would he receive in this mountain city.

Harry came back to the present as Frodo slipped on a loose rock and Harry caught his shoulder to steady him. Frodo winced and Harry remembered the wound in his shoulder. "How is your shoulder, Frodo?"

"It's getting better." Frodo sighed looking up at Harry.

"And the Ring?" Harry asked and Frodo's eyes became slightly darkened. "It's power is growing but you are fighting it well. It will draw evil to it from outside the Fellowship, and from within."

"Who then do I trust?" Frodo asked him pleadingly, obviously wanting nothing to do with this war.

Harry bent slightly and tapped Frodo softly on the chest just over his heart. "Your heart is strong. You must believe in it and listen to what it tells you."

Harry hadn't even heard Gandalf stop let alone that he had listened to the conversation until her spoke up. "Your heart must guide you where neither of us can."

"I don't understand." Frodo asked them both and Harry suddenly felt the two thousand two hundred years he was.

"There are many powers in this world, both Evil and Good. Some stronger than Harry and me. Some that we have yet to be tested against." Harry understood that he meant that which the Dwarves had awoken within Moria but Frodo only assumed they meant a worst case scenario.

Frodo nodded and continued to walk as they skirted a pool of water and came to a halt with the rest of the party by what Harry recognised as the Western entrance of Moria.

"The Walls of Moria!" Gimli announced with pride. "Dwarf walls are invisible when closed." He continued when the Hobbits gave him enquiring looks.

The Fellowship began to search alone the walls but Harry knew this entrance. Since Morchaint was in the west they had always used this entrance. Only accessible when moonlight graced its surface which wouldn't be for another ten or so minutes as the sentinel hills blocked the rising moon.

Harry stared at the moon as it rose and just as it was about to shine against the wall he turned and caught the attention of those searching for the entrance. "Stand back and watch." As the moonlight stuck the wall a glowing doorway appeared etched into the stone. A tree stood etched beneath the arch whilst Dwarf runes ran across the arch. Harry read them even as Gandalf spoke the words aloud.

"The Door of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak Friend and Enter." Gandalf recited.

"What do you suppose that means?" Merry chirped up.

"Oh, it's quite simple. If you're a friend you speak the password and the doors will open." Gandalf said whilst stepping away from the doors and looking at Harry.

"Don't look at me. Durin was after my time. He would have changed the password." Harry said with a shrug.

"What was it when you last came here?" Aragorn persisted.

Harry turned to the gate and without a care spoke. "Falakgundu!" He intoned and shrugged when nothing happened. Gandalf muttered under his breath before turning back to the wall and started trying to magically 'pick' the lock.

"What did that mean?" Pippin asked from Harry's elbow. It still shocked him how silently the Halflings moved within their camps.

"It is Dwarvish for Cave-Hewer." Harry told them simply. The mountain before him was giving off a menacing feeling that it had never done before. A group with an Elf, Wizard and one of the Nuuruhuine should've been confronted by the Guards by now.

He thought about it for a few more minutes before walking to the donkey which Sam and Aragorn were unloading. They wouldn't take it any further than this and would let it free to return to greener pastures and a peaceful life. Harry grabbed a bundle of cloth from one of the bundles and waved off Aragorn's enquiring look. Harry had requested it from Archie after the council meeting. He called Sam, Frodo, Merry and Pippin over to him and knelt. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli came to watch whilst Boromir wandered off towards Gandalf, uninterested in anything Harry was doing.

"I have a gift for you four." Harry told them with a small grin that vanished quickly. "I wasn't going to give them to you yet but you can never be too safe."

He met Aragorn's eyes as he glanced at Moria's magical doors. He unwrapped the cloth and revealed four ten inch blades within sheaves. The hobbits gasped as did the three onlookers.

"These are Wyrda Blades. Blades of Fate. To carry them makes you a friend to Morchaint and will get you aid with my people." Harry explained. "They are built through magic and will never fail you. They will piece anything except Mythril."

He handed them to the four Hobbits and watched as they slide them out of their sheaves. Legolas fingered his arm and Harry smiled at him. He had known all along that Legolas carried one of these knives, though he didn't know where it came from since they wouldn't allow anybody but their Masters to touch them and could only be passed on as a dying wish whether the Master knew he had passed it on or not. "Cut a finger with them and allow your blood to touch the gem on the handle." They did as he said and to their shock as soon as the blood touched the knife it soaked in. "No one else will see these now as long as you where them against your skin."

The grinned at him and started to clip them onto their left forearms beneath their sleeves. Legolas crouched beside the four opposite Harry and pulled up Frodo's sleeve. The others gasped as they saw nothing and Harry stood. "Nobody can remove them from you and you can never lose them. Care for them and they will care for you but don't use them lightly."

Legolas decided to teach them what Harry meant and instructed Frodo to hand him his new knife. Legolas grasped it with skill and with a quick gesture made to cut Frodo's palm. The blade glowed like the moon before it vanished into smoke. Frodo yelled out in shock but Legolas just grinned at him and gestured to the sheave where once again the blade sat as if it had never moved.

Legolas left the then to play with their knives before moving over to where Harry stood staring at the stars. "Mine came to me after my Uncle, Gradvire, was killed in an Undead attack on Mirkwood." Legolas told him.

"I remember him." Harry nodded. "A good Elf. I gave him that myself." Harry said gesturing at the blade Legolas had drawn with reverence.

"I have never used it in the two hundred years I've held it." Legolas sighed. "Though I believe just wearing it has saved me a few times."

"As Fate so often plays out." Harry grinned at his wording just as Frodo helped Gandalf open the door by speaking the Elvish word for Friend. Durin was obviously a fan of riddles. Harry checked his weapons before following the group inside. He quickly caught up with Gandalf but kept to one of the side walls.

"This is wrong. We should've been challenged by now." Harry spoke loudly to put everyone on guard. It was then that he saw something in the darkness. Bodies, a lot of them.

He swung his bow up and strung it in an instant and shocked Legolas and the others into doing similar things. The Hobbits drew their new blades and stood closer together. "This is no mine. It's a tomb!" Boromir gasped at the heaps of dead, decayed bodies.

Harry and Legolas both crouched as Gandalf and the others scanned the area. Harry grasped an arrow from a Dwarf skeleton. He chucked it to Legolas who cursed in Elvish and stood. "Goblins!" He snapped the arrow and threw it to the side.

"We make for the Gap of Rohan!" Boromir yelled. "We should never have come here. Now get out, get out!"

Before they could turn a startled cry rang out from behind them. Harry spun with his bow to see that only Merry, Pippin and Sam stood whilst chasing Frodo who was being dragged outside.

The scent of the Undead hit him in a powerful wave. "Undead!" He yelled at the others as they darted forwards. Harry leapt out of the cave in one lunge and severed a large tentacle that was about to sweep the Hobbits off their feet. He landed beside them but Frodo was already hanging above the water. An arrow swept passed him and embedded itself in the tentacle holding Frodo and it screeched before a huge, decaying, head erupted from the water and a dozen tentacle swept the area. Harry dodged them all but the others were swept away. Two more arrows thudded into the creatures head but it only screeched. It rose slightly and tilted its head back to regard Frodo.

"It's undead, aim for its heart if you can!" Harry yelled before throwing one of daggers into the top of its neck. It reared further out of the water and as soon as it's torso came clear of the water one of Legolas' arrows imbedded itself in it's chest. Harry followed the arrow with one of his curved blades and felt the creatures head implode under the double strike. It screamed out in pain and released Frodo.

Harry leaped up out of the water and grabbed the Hobbit before he hit the water and then back onto land in one smooth motion. The creature screeched on last time before it collapsed but Harry wasn't expecting to feel a build up of power, one that he hadn't felt in many hundreds of years. Nacraemeus was becoming more powerful if he could reach them here.

"Get in the cave, quickly!" Harry yelled as the power built. He threw Frodo like a bag of flour before swooping to grab Merry and Pippin and carrying them in in seconds. The others didn't wait for long before running behind him.

Harry turned as they all passed him not ten metres inside the cave and raised his hands. The rock trembled around the door as he slammed his magic into it. Gandalf hissed as he felt Harry's magic sweeping the air, thickening the air until it made their ears pop. With a final lash he wretched the supports around the doors apart and watched in satisfaction as it started to crumble.

He was only half a second too late as a ring of fire erupted from the pond outside sending first water and then fire through the falling rocks, blasting some apart but ignoring others. He hit him just as it died and threw him backwards into the wall just as the cave filled with rocks.

"Ouch." He groaned as he pulled himself to his feet.

"What was that?" Aragorn gasped as he rushed to help Harry to his feet.

"Nacraemeus used his creature to try to kill us with his magic. He has become more powerful than I believed." Harry said as he turned to Gandalf. "I felt him here, he wants the Ring for himself even as he pretends to aid Sauron."

"Did you bring down the cave?" Aragorn asked.

"I did, it was the only way to protect us." Harry sighed knowing that he had just trapped them within these dark walls. "We must move now. I know the way." Harry started walking up the stairs as he put away his bow.

"Wait!" Frodo gasped. "I lost my knife! It must have fallen in the lake!"

He looked rather upset. Harry turned to him and knelt to bring them eye to eye. He grasped the Hobbits hand and turned it palm up. "Call it to you."

Frodo frowned as if he didn't understand but he was already thinking about it coming to him. With a swish of air the blade reformed from a cloud of mist in Frodo's hand. "You cant lose these blades, Frodo. It is bound to your blood."

"Legolas, Gimli!" Harry ordered. "Say with the Hobbits." Legolas with his keener eyesight and Gimli with his stouter form were best to protect them. "Gandalf and I will take the front, Aragorn and Boromir will take the rear. Keep an eye out."

With that he swept into the darkness just in front of the light given by Gandalf's staff. The Hobbits, Elf and Dwarves followed next and then the two humans. Harry could remember the path like it was only yesterday that he had wandered these halls to help place magical protections upon them so it was with little effort that he led them deeper and deeper into the mountain.

They walked in this way for many hours before Harry heard a shuffling sound that didn't match any of the footfalls of their group. He stopped to allow Gandalf to catch up before talking. "We are being followed."

"Yes, by Golem." Gandalf sighed. "He held the Ring before Frodo's guardian, Bilbo took it. I fear he has a part to play in this."

"You keep speaking as if you wont leave this place. What is it that you know and I don't?" Harry demanded.

"I fear it is my fate to split from the Fellowship here. The shadow that roams these caverns calls to me and I do not know why." Gandalf sighed as they continued to walk through the silent halls where even Gandalf's whispered world left no echo. "If I fall you must leave me and bring the Fellowship safely to Lothlorien."

"And from there down to Rauros Falls." Harry nodded. "I feel as you do. Frodo must do this alone if he is to succeed yet there is another purpose to this Fellowship."

"What do you mean?" Gandalf asked surprised.

"For the first time since the Nuuruhuine arrived in this world a group fights together with members of all parties working together. Gondor and Morchaint fight together as do Dwarf and Elf. There is another reason for this, it signals to us that we will lose unless everyone fights as one." Harry said. "That is why a force of eight thousand Morchaints sail south to Gondor even as we speak."

"We do not know that is where Sauron will strike." Gandalf muttered after he got over his shock that a force so large was moving without even Lord Elrond's knowledge which meant that no other in Middle Earth knew of it.

"Gondor is weak, weaker than when we defeated their armies a thousand years ago." Harry sighed. "They are our weakness and even if Sauron doesn't know that, Nacraemeus does. Nacraemeus will always fear Morchaint and knows that Gondor is the only country that wont ask for our help."

"You're right." Gandalf sighed. "Don't leave them to die alone."

"I wont let Minas Tirith fall, even if I have to knock down its gates first." Harry chuckled before striding off into the darkness once more. They walked through the rest of what Harry's senses told him was a day and a half. They stopped a total of three times, once for sleep and twice for lunches at about the time Harry guessed were noon and night on the outsides.

Once they walked through an old mine that as soon as Gandalf's torch lit it spread the light across the walls and down into its depth in a manner that reminded Harry of the mirrors in Dras Arget. He heard Gimli tell the wondering Hobbits that it was Mythril, more valuable than gold.

"Dras Arget is imbued with this very metal." Legolas told them all since only he, Gandalf and Harry had ever seen the city. "It makes it almost invincible to attack and it glows with such beauty that every Elf in Middle Earth has dreamt of seeing it."

"A great honour from the Elves who love their trees and forest cities." Aragorn muttered under his breath.

"What's Dras Arget?" Harry heard Merry ask and he stopped to look at them.

"It's my capital city, we built it two thousand years ago. It's stands among the few cities that have survived the ages and all attacks." Harry told them. "It lies only a few leagues from the Shire. When this is over I'll take you all to see it if you wish." They seemed pleased with this idea.

Eventually Harry stopped and the group caught up to him in a chamber so large that even Harry couldn't see the cavernous roof far above them. Gandalf knocked his staff once on the ground and the light flared showing the wall to their back and miles of giant columns reaching into the darkness in front of them.

"Beyond, the great realm and Dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf." Gandalf announced. Harry listen but heard nothing in the distance. He started forward as he heard Sam speak.

"Now there's an eye opening and no mistake." He felt more than saw Frodo nod his agreement beside his friend but didn't pause in his stride. Harry knew where he was heading and evidently so did Gimli since not a minute later the Dwarf ran passed him and he was forced to speed the group up to keep the Dwarf from running off into the darkness.

Harry slipped into a side room and was forced to shield his eyes from the sudden glare of a light tunnel that sprayed the room, and more importantly the coffin, with light. Harry wandered to one side as Gimli cried out in sorrow at the sight of the tomb and the fallen bodies around the room.

"Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria." He translated the runes. "He is dead then. It's as I feared." Gandalf sighed as he took off his hat in mourning before noticing a tome clutched in the hands of a Dwarven skeleton at the same time a strange skeleton caught Harry's eyes. It was a human skeleton, or at least a human sized one. Harry made his way over to it and hunkered down to study it. Legolas move over as well.

"They have taken the bridge and the second hall." Gandalf read. "We have barred the gates but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums, Drums in the deep."

Harry looked at the skull of the human skeleton and let out a growl of fury. It had canines, it was a Vampire! He stood up and his wings lashed out on their own accord.

"We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark." Gandalf ignored him and continued. "We cannot get out, they are coming."

"They died fighting." Aragorn sighed. "Every Dwarf here."

"And these Vampires!" Harry snapped making the whole group, apart from Legolas who had already seen the sight of the skeleton, look at him in shock.

"How do we know they weren't the ones attacking?" Gimli rounded on Harry with rage in his eyes.

"No," Aragorn muttered as the group took in the sight of at least thirty Vampire skeletons among the Dwarven dead. "They died fighting together."

"How do you know that?" Gimli continued to glare at Harry as if it was his fault that his cousin was dead, which is what the Dwarf thought anyway.

"The Vampire's backs are to the tomb, they died protecting it just as the Dwarves did." Aragorn told the group succinctly proving Harry's feelings.

"I heard rumours from the Nuru Noste that before they formed a group of more than two hundred Vampires and Lamia were exiled and fled to the Dwarven realm." Harry sighed. "The Noru Noste tried to get word to them but failed. This must be why, they died here, in what they must have called home. I owe the Dwarves a debt of gratitude for taking them in." Harry nodded at the Dwarf who nodded in return.

Before anything else could be said they was a sliding sound and to their horror one of the skeletons fell noisily down the rooms well. Pippin stood guiltily next to it flinching every time it banged louder down the shaft.

"Fool of a Took!" Gandalf rounded on him. "Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!"

Pippin sidled closer to Harry so that his shoulder was against Harry's elbow and Harry placed a comforting arm around the rather pale and scared Hobbit. He had been surprised at how close the Hobbits had become to him. They trusted him like none of the others did. They were wary of what they were no matter what Boromir told them and they looked to him to protect them especially Merry and Pippin and most definitely since they had entered Moria.

The group was just about to forget about Pippin's mistake when a double drum beat echoed up the shaft freezing them all into place. More booms followed the first and Pippin gripped Harry's waist in fright. "Frodo!" Harry called attention to the Hobbit. "Your sword!"

True to Harry's warning when Frodo pulled Sting from it's sheave it was glowing blue. "Orcs!" Spat Legolas who hated the creatures more than all of the others.

The two humans rushed to the door and after narrowly missing two arrows the slammed it shut and dropped the damaged cross bar into place. Harry gestured to the Hobbits. "Stay near Gandalf." He sent Pippin running towards the well again and Gandalf touched him on the shoulder to show that he was forgiven. The four Hobbits took up defensive positions near each other with their normal swords in hand with Gandalf bearing both staff and sword in front of them.

"They have a cave troll!" Boromir told them all with faked humour lacing his words and a uplift of his eyes.

Gimli jumped onto the foot of the tomb in a vain effort to protect it whilst Legolas and Aragorn took one side and Harry and Boromir took the other. Harry and Legolas drew their bows and as soon as axes began chopping through the door they released them sending the attacks flying backwards away from the door even as the fired another.

"Let them come!" Gimli yelled. "There is one Dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath."

Suddenly the doors jerked and the crossbar splintered and a wave of armoured orcs poured through the doors. Harry loosed arrow after arrow at them even as Boromir helped carve them down. In this way the first wave fell as Legolas and Harry worked at the orcs with arrows and Boromir and Aragorn hew them down with swords to keep them away from the born archers.

Just as they thought they'd get a lull in the attack the cave troll decimated the stone door frame as it crashed through. It swung its club nearly smashing Boromir who dodged backwards at the last instant. Harry loosed two arrows into the creatures head but it only raged with pain and kept coming. Gimli was forced to dive from the tomb as the club obliterated it. Legolas attacked the troll with his own arrows but was forced to sling his bow to protect himself from the orcs now pouring in behind them. Harry did the same and began a deadly dance of two blades as he cut through the teeming orcs, but even some of them got through and soon they were all fighting for their lives.

Somehow in the confusion the troll managed to back Frodo into a corner and before Harry could realise what was happening it slammed a pike straight into Frodo's chest sending the small Hobbit slamming into the wall behind him and collapsing with the pike against his chest. "Frodo!" He heard Aragorn yell but his was too far away to do anything but kill the orcs trying to take advantage of the confusion. Harry took a bounding leap, using the destroyed tomb as a leg up. He held a hand out to Legolas who grasped it and with his strength and momentum and the inherent lightness of both Lamia and Elves he jumped them both onto the Trolls back.

The troll, who had just been about to smash Frodo with his club, staggered at the sudden appearance of two creatures on its back. Harry dodged the clubs wild swing and slammed both of his blades into the trolls spin to severe his spinal chord. Legolas then put two arrows into the Trolls brain and they rode it to the ground as it collapsed.

Harry realised then that all three Hobbits were standing between Frodo and the trolls body having obviously decided to take on the troll to protect their friend. Harry smirked at their shocked faces and turned back to the battle. After the troll fell it seemed that most of the orcs lost heart. Some fled the room whilst those that stayed simply fell to the Fellowships weapons.

As soon as the room all but Harry and Legolas ran for Frodo to try to save him. Harry held up a hand and yanked all of his and Legolas' arrows from their targets and they split them up into their separate piles. Legolas grinned thankfully even though he was obviously worried about the Hobbit. It was a shame to lose either the Elves fine tipped arrows that flew with perfect accuracy or Harry's mythril tipped ones which would penetrate even mythril armour.

Harry and Legolas both spun as Frodo groaned and tried to stand. "It's ok, I'm not hurt." He said.

"You should be dead." Aragorn argued. "That spear would have skewered a wild boar!"

"I think there's more to this Hobbit then meets the eyes." Gandalf smirked and they watched as Frodo slowly undid his shirt to show a mythril vest of Dwarven make underneath it.

"Mythril!" Gimli gasped. "You are full of surprises, Master Baggins."

"We cannot stay here and pondered Frodo's immortality." Harry told them sternly just as Orc cries echoed beyond the room.

"To the Bridge of Khazad-dum!" Gandalf declared and they rushed from the room through the back door. Harry paused as they ran off to collapse the ceiling behind them so at least they wouldn't be overrun from behind.

He caught up quickly afterwards and knew from the sound his defence had made that they knew where he'd been. They ran through corridors and down staircases and then they followed Harry as he ran through a great chamber, smaller than the one before but still large. Orcs poured through side doors as Goblins poured from holes in the ceiling and down the columns until their group of ten was surrounded by thousand of enemies and closed in to a standstill.

They had no choice but to stand and fight. Harry sent a wave of magic slamming into the first rank but they just pushed forwards again. Even Harry had a limit to how many times he could do that before they overwhelmed him. Harry was about to take flight and at least save Frodo so that they could continue their mission when a deep growl echoed through the room.

Harry found himself growling in response making the others look at him in surprise but he couldn't help it. His Thunderbird mind didn't like this new presence and wasn't making it's dislike known. The air filled with static but within such a dry place it would be difficult to draw a storm.

The glow of flames appeared at the end of the hall and all of a sudden the Orcs and Goblins started running away into their holes.

Harry almost started changing but Gandalf slapped him gently and got a shock of electricity instead but it did draw Harry's attention. "This is not your battle." Gandalf told him. Harry's Thunderbird growled again but Harry pushed it down and nodded succinctly. Gandalf was well aware of Harry's duel mind.

"What is this new devilry?" Boromir asked as he gripped his sword.

"A Balrog." Gandalf sighed. "A demon of the Ancient World."

Another deep growl echoed through the cavern and the Hobbits sidled closer to Harry and Aragorn.

"This foe is beyond all of you!" Gandalf cried as he whirled around. "Run!"

Harry didn't let anyone argue and just growled out his agreement before grabbing Merry and Pippin behind the neck and pushing them forwards. "Quickly!" Harry yelled as they ran towards the far war.

They ran into the corridor towards the twisting staircases. Harry ran out into the wide open space dotted with staircases to see both Legolas and Boromir lying on the ground. It seemed that Legolas had save Boromir from tumbling off the edge. "Keep going!" Harry growled out as Gandalf came clear of the corridor. His Thunderbird might be under control but it still wanted to stand its ground and fight the Balrog.

They ran for the next five minutes down the staircases until they reached a broken section. Legolas leapt first and landed on the lower side and shoulder his bow and gestured for the others to follow. Harry waited at the back as they saw flames glowing out of the corridor they had just come through. Stone fell from the ceiling at the whole mountain shook as the Balrog tried to carve its way through the pathways to reach them.

Gandalf jumped the gap next and was steadied by Legolas just as arrows skitter the edge of the stairs and make Merry and Pippin jump back from the edge. Harry surged out with his magic charged by the Thunderbird and a bolt of lightning flew from thin air and slammed through the alcove that the orc were firing from. He blasted another one with his normal magic and was satisfied as the rock above it crumbled down the side of the wall taking the orcs with it. Boromir leapt the gap with Merry and Pippin under his arms and they started running down the stairs behind Gandalf.

Harry struck out twice more as Aragorn threw Sam across the gap to Legolas who quickly sent him on his way. Aragorn was about to jump with Frodo when the rock below them gave out.

They managed to get clear the first time but Harry was forced to pull them back with his magic the second time it gave way. Before they could think about jumping the now wider gap a large section of the ceiling crashed down behind them, smashing through the staircase and leaving them on a rather perilous island in the middle of the chamber. Harry flung out his hands and sent Aragorn and Frodo across the gap as if on springs. Aragorn landed on his own two feet and Legolas had to catch Frodo but they were safe.

Harry shouted at the to run before spreading his wings just as his island fell to the side and fell into the depths. Harry glided over the heads and set down at the base of the staircase just as the others arrived.

"Thanks!" Aragorn told him but Harry just shrugged and pulled in his wings as they entered the last hall. Orcs crept across the edges of the room and goblin threatened to overrun them but they were kept back partly because of the growls following them and because of the web of lightning that hung in the air courtesy of Harry's still rather anxious Thunderbird.

They reached the Bridge and passed across it in single file. Gandalf brought up the rear and stopped half way across. Harry stopped also but was waved on by the Grey Wizard.

"This is my fight. Do what I told you." Gandalf ordered him.

"I can help!" Harry snapped though none of the others heard him.

"No, only I can do this!" Gandalf told him before spinning away from Harry. Harry leapt back into the doorway and ushered the other back just as the Balrog jumped through the length of the hall and landed at the edge of the bridge.

Gandalf yelled out a spell but Harry was too busy trying to control the Thunderbird and prevent it from changing him to notice what was said. He did notice though when the Balrog brought its flaming sword down on Gandalf's head. Lightning lashed out into Gandalf's sword and staff and just as the flaming sword met them it blasted the Balrog's arm as the flaming sword shattered. It staggered back and eyed first Harry and then the sparking sword with distaste.

Harry's Thunderbird had charged Gandalf's sword with lightning. It growled and Harry found himself growling back. "Go back to the shadow!" Gandalf yelled as it stepped forwards onto the bridge. "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" The wizard yelled as he slammed his staff into the bridge.

The Balrog grunted in amusement as nothing happened but as soon as it stepped forward again the bridge disintegrated under its feet and it fell into the darkness below. Gandalf turned with a smile. Harry felt it before it happened and cried out even as the creatures whip lashed out and caught Gandalf and flung him down into the shadows.

Harry thought about flying down to him but no less than ten arrows flung themselves against the walls. He couldn't carry a fully grown Wizard that far even without arrows being shot at him.

"Run!" Harry yelled at the others and they fled through the last corridor and onto a suddenly bright countryside. Harry gasped as the sight burned his eyes but he clamped them shut and was surprised when he opened them to find them wet. Whether from the burning sun or from Gandalf's fall he wasn't sure but for the first time in centuries he was crying.

XOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	12. Lothlorien

The Nuuruhuine

Chapter 12; Lothlorien

**East steppe of Moria**

Harry stared down into the valley before him as it reached gracefully into the East towards the large forest or Lothlorien, home of the Lorien Elves. Aragorn stood behind him as they waited in silence. Boromir was crouched in a huddle with Pippin and Merry as they sobbed. Frodo was slowly walking towards the edge of the small cliff to the left but he luckily was paying attention enough to not walk right off the edge.

Legolas was standing on that edge looking down over the valley in the same way that Harry was whilst Gimli and Sam were staring at the ground with tears trailing down their cheeks. Harry was in fact the only one there with dry eyes. He'd seen deaths aplenty in his years and even being so close to Gandalf didn't change the fact that the man had seemed to accept it was coming. He had hinted at it too often since they had left Rivendell.

Harry raised his head up to the violent clouds that were threatening to break into a storm, they had appeared whilst they were still in Moria and Harry knew that it had been his Thunderbirds agitation around the Balrog that had summoned them. He concentrated on soothing the riled up beast and forced up barriers before he calmed the clouds back to what they should have been.

He sighed before taking a swig from his blood filled canteen and then turned to Aragorn. "I need to report this to the others. Get them up, we make for the Woods of Lothlorien and we must reach it by nightfall."

Harry heard Aragorn calling to the others as he shut his own eyes and instantly broadened his mind. He shut out those around him before branching out to every aware mind in Middle Earth, or at least the western reaches of it. He felt his mind meet first Archie's and then with his friends mind with his they went about connecting all of the Nuuruhuine together in a massively powerful web of minds. He directed the power to Elrond and Galadriel to invite them into the web and within a few seconds he felt their minds deftly touch with their own.

'_I bring grave tidings.' _Harry told them all. '_We were forced to take the paths through Moria and we encounter more there than we wished. Orcs and Goblins have completely overrun the caves. No Dwarf live in there. Balin's tomb lies there surrounded by both Dwarf and Lamia protectors, those that were exiled from Morchaint in our absence.'_

'_They are dead then?' _Harry's mind reached out privately and brushed Alex's with soft touches, he was beginning to miss him greatly.

'_They are.' _Harry sighed. '_They are not the greatest loss however. A Balrog resided within Moria, and although it has now fallen into the depths it took Gandalf the Grey with it.'_

'_He is dead?' _Elrond, Lord of Rivendell spoke up rather tentatively. Elf Lords were powerful but he was probably rather nervous with twenty linked Lamia facing him.

'_I wouldn't say dead.' _Harry almost chuckled and he felt Galadriel's, so far silent mind, do the same. '_I am sure that we haven't seen the last of him. Galadriel, we are heading for your forest and will probably have a legion of Orcs, Golbins and undead on our trail.'_

Harry felt Galadriel withdraw with what almost seemed to be a mental bow and Elrond quickly followed her. Harry left the network of minds after promising to contact Alex soon. He found himself staring at the waiting Fellowship as they waited for him. "Let's go." He told them.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Half a day later**

Aragorn led their way through a deer track as they walked through the outer edges of Lothlorien. Legolas walked behind him followed by Gimli, Frodo and Sam. Harry watched their backs whilst Pippin and Merry wandered along behind him with Boromir bringing up the rear.

"Stay close, young Hobbits!" Gimli announced. "They say that a great sorceress lives in these woods, an Elf-witch, of terrible power. All who look upon her, fall under her spell."

Harry almost had to stifle his grin at the small Dwarf's comments, the enmity between Elves and Dwarves wasn't as great as that between Humans and Vampires but it was there. Harry lost his smile as he felt a power across the air, someone's mind was near. He reached out violently and it backed off with a jerk. He gave his mind a threatening edge to it but the mind just swirled around like a waiting cat until he recognised it. He gave it a metal smirk before backing away letting it explore the group until it settled on Frodo.

Harry eavesdropped on what she said to him. '_Frodo, your coming to us is like the footsteps of doom. You bring great evil here, Ring-Bearer." _Frodo paused and the group behind him came to a sudden halt though the three before him hadn't noticed.

"Well, he's one Dwarf she won't ensnare so easily." Gimli continued to boast even as Harry heard it and bent his knees. He was moving even before Gimli had finished. "I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox!"

Elves appeared all around the group in silence. Arrows were pointed at the group and the only member still there that had reacted in time was Legolas that had his own bow armed and aimed at the closest set of Elves. The leader, aiming at Aragorn spoke first.

"The Dwarf breathes so loud, we could have shot him in the dark." The Elf told the group.

"And I could have shot a dozen of you before you attacked." Harry growled as his own arrow head brushed the oblivious Elf's ear. Six bows were instantly aimed at him but he had already moved and in a blur he had disarmed five of them and stopped between the leader of the Elf's and the group. "You were warned of our arrival, we must leave now before we are overrun."

The Elf glared as Harry lowered his bow and waved Legolas to do the same. Harry didn't hold the Elves methods of greeting intruders against them but he knew they'd be annoyed at being outdone. The Elf span on his heel and the Elves followed him into the depths of the forest with their group between them. Harry stuck beside Frodo as they walked and knew he was getting awed looks from the Hobbits and even from the adults after his show of speed. Unfortunately the use of his Magic and Vampiric abilities in order to boost his speed had cost him in blood.

They had separated the group onto two tree house type platforms for that night and Harry found himself with Aragorn, Sam, Frodo and Legolas on one of the platforms whilst Boromir and Gimli watched over Merry and Pippin on the other. Harry ignored much of what happened that night and spent most of the time watching over Frodo from one of the higher branches unseen by the Elves and at the same time making them worry about where he had disappeared to. In actuality he spent much of the night telepathically speaking with Alex and thus discovering that his mate had joined the ships travelling down the coast to Ered Nimrais.

He also spoke to Galadriel that night and even she hadn't been that talkative earlier that day she was more than happy to speak to him when he was within her own borders. She told him that Undead sighting were become far to common on their Eastern borders. As the sun rose he slipped into the air and flared his wings. He wouldn't be missed and the group were safe as long as the Lothlorien Elves watched over them. Galadriel would tell them where he had gone when they were within her city. He flew across the forest all of that morning until he reached the River Anduin that run along it's Eastern flank.

He set down on the tree covered bank and stared across onto the rolling plains on the far side. As the day crept along till sunset he swept his magic across the plains between the River Anduin and Mirkwood forest that stretched into the East and North and was rewarded when his magic found a small party of a hundred or so Undead Humans. He took to the sky again and wheeled around to the south-east towards the Aura of a 'living' being among the masses of Undead.

As he flew he drank the last of the blood from his canister and felt himself become more energised and the darkness brightened just the slightest amount. He came upon the camp just short of midnight and he circled it for a while following the movements of the rotting humans below him. The living being was within one of the centre tents and since the tent wasn't guarded the only explanation was that he was a necromancer, the raiser of this small army of humans.

He set himself down lightly on the top of the tent without a sound and left his wings outstretched so that his weight didn't shift the weak poles below him and then called up his magic. The magic that he had been born with as a Wizard. Fire roared into being fifty metres away from him in a large circle that enclosed the camp and caught all those inside of it. The circle of fire grew and unearthly screams escaped the undead's throats as they were burnt to ashes. Several saw him in the fires glow but before they could call out warnings they exploded into flames that caught on anything they touched as they too died. The circle began to shrink in on itself until they tent was surrounded on all sides by fire.

Harry leapt from the tent and flipped onto the ground outside of the ring of fire and glanced around himself at the burnt out ground one hundred metres across. It amused himself slightly that this Necromancer hadn't placed wards on the camp to prevent fires like this, especially so close to Mirkwood and Lothlorien.

The Necromancer appeared in the doorway to the tent and stared about at the devastation even as Harry snubbed out the fire. "Who dares do this?"

Harry almost laughed but instead he just reached for Archie's mind so that anything he discovered would be instantly known and could be reported. Harry spread his wings to catch the rising wind and they whispered as the wind ran through the black feathers. The Necromancers dark eyes met his own glowing green ones and he raised a withered staff in front of him. "You'll die for this!" The Necromancer shouted before a stab of red light blasted across the space between them.

Harry waved a hand and his magic battered the blood-boiling curse back at the Necromancer who had to duck to dodge it. The next spell was more dangerous, a spell that would have killed any Vampire. Harry's magic flared around him and blasted the spell into shards that obliterated the nearby ground with small craters. The Necromancer stumbled slightly as his own magic was taxed and before he could do anything Harry threw out his own magic and shattered the staff and strung the man up in mid air, arms and legs stretched out to either side of him.

Archie's mind blended with his own as he ripped through the Necromancer's mind and delved into his memory. He had been found by Undead scouts at his home in Dorwinon and trained by Nacraemeus himself. That had been two hundred years ago. He had served them since by harrying the human populations East of the Misty Mountain. His delving into the Black Arts had given his a longer life just as Nacraemeus had survived so many hundreds of years.

Harry ripped everything he needed from the Necromancer's mind before completely obliterating every trace of it. He felt Archie withdraw in order to share it with a few others and draw from it what strategies they could. Harry returned his attention to the Necromancer but found another mind waiting for him, one so inebriated with evil thoughts and magic that Harry almost wretched his own mind back before he settled on sending spikes of magic towards the invading mind now in the Necromancers body.

The mind weathered the attack before speaking, '_Vampire!'_ It's voice seemed to drip with contempt. '_So the rumours are true, the great Death Shadows are awake. So nice of you to join this party though I'm afraid there is little you will able to do in the long run.'_

'_Nacraemeus.' _Harry growled out and his Thunderbird came alive in an instant as clouds soared through the sky from horizon to horizon. '_Your time is quickly coming to an end. I should've killed you all those years ago.'_

'_You wouldn't ever have killed me when we were mortal. You were too weak for such an action.' _Nacraemeus gloated. '_You just settled for the cowardly thing, you ran.'_

'_I run from nobody, traitor!' _Harry spat out and let his Thunderbird roar out mentally, he felt Nacraemeus withdraw behind his own defences and decided to take his leave. He purposely kept up the attack on his enemies mind as he grabbed the Necromancer's body and sunk his teeth into his neck. Magically rich blood filled his body and he drained the human dry within a few seconds not allowing Nacraemeus to escape his temporary prison until he had been forced to feel what it felt like to be drained of his life blood. He severed the link and set light to the body as lightning filled the sky in all directions.

He let the storm rage around him as he remembered events from two-thousand-two-hundred years in his past. The betrayal of one that he had held dear to him. He could remember how he had watched the Undead form of Hermione standing before him after trying to kill him for that traitor. He had been forced to burn her and her screams, even if they weren't her own, haunted his waking mind to this day even though none of the Nuuruhuine knew what their old world would look like two-thousand years in the future.

He felt minds brushing against his, trying to sooth him and he dropped his barriers as the storm raged. He heard their voices, all of them, their words calming his soul of its pain. His Nuuruhuine, his family. He might have known Nacraemeus for longer but these were his life now. The country that he and his family had created in an unfamiliar world. He let himself calm but the storm had taken a life of its own, fed by enough magic that he'd have to expend even more in order to stop it. Lightning struck the trees of Mirkwood forest in the distance but he just smirked evilly into the far East. One day his storms would utterly destroy that traitor.

He flew back to Lothlorien with the nineteen minds around his own, sometimes they guided him sometimes he controlled his own direction until finally they withdrew to their own bodies as the sun rose behind him and Lothlorien spread out before him untouched by the storm that had settled slightly though still raged in the plains.

He set down on the ground within Lothlorien itself just as it was coming to life. Elves didn't sleep as much as other species apart from the older Vampires and Lamia but they tended to remain in their homes until true daybreak and spend the time in privacy working on their hobbies. When Harry set down he was instantly escorted by a few sullen looking Elves into the outskirts back towards the river.

There he met Galadriel slowly walking towards the docks. "Lady Galadriel." Harry bowed slightly, his wings arcing over his head in a formal manner. All Lamia were supposed to who wings in formal settings, it was something they had kept up after coming to this world. "It is a pleasure to see you once more."

"Lord Harry." She nodded slowly. "I must say, your awakening could not come at a better time. I fear that the world will be in need of your assistance once more."

"So I too believe." Harry stepped up to her side as they turned to walk towards the docks once more. "Though I think that young Frodo will do much as well."

"Gandalf's death was a blow to us though I agree with you." She told him with a sorrow filled look. "We haven't seen the last of him yet."

Harry nodded and they lapsed into silence as the slowly walked through the trees towards the approaching sound of running water. "Harry." She started. "When this war ends, Celeborn and I will travel into the west. Many of my kind will do the same."

"It's been happening for many years now." Harry told them, he had felt the lack of the Elven race since he had awoken. "I wish my own path was so easy but I have a score to settle with Nacraemeus."

"I must ask a favour of you, Harry." She asked. "Once I have gone into the West I wish for you to look after my kind still within Middle Earth."

"You don't need to ask me, I would always do that." Harry told her. "They are always welcome within my borders."

Galadriel paused suddenly just as they were about to walk out into a small clearing that housed the docks. Harry heard the breathing of the Elves just passed the trees, presumably including Legolas'. He could hear the four Hobbits talking together and the quiet breathing of Boromir, Gimli and Aragorn. "You mentioned those that were exiled from Morchaint. Not all of them were killed within Moria."

"Do they still live?" Harry asked, his eyes gleaming brightly. He knew four of those that were exiled. Two were his and Alex's own descendents whilst the other two were Archie's descendents, all good souls that were banished for opposing the rise of those Harry, himself, had deposed.

"Six Lamia escaped, sent out in the last moments by the remaining Lords of Moria." Galadriel told him. "They came here seeking help, we allowed them our blood to heal and to survive on but they couldn't live off of it without losing their minds, they travelled south into Gondor to feed and live among them."

Harry smiled gratefully at her and promised to try and find them once this was all over. They stepped silently out into the dock and the group turned to look at them. Harry found it amusing when the four Hobbits and even the adults looked awed at the sight of two of the most powerful beings in Middle-Earth appearing silently before them. He noticed the look that Frodo gave Galadriel though.

He spread out his mind and touched Galadriel's, she opened her mind so he could speak. '_Why is Frodo feeling fear towards you?'_

'_I tested myself against the Ring.' _That explained it to Harry, the Ring would reach out to someone like Galadriel and by testing she meant she had resisted the effect.

Harry nodded to Aragorn and Legolas before he pulled his wings back into his back and rolled his shoulders. Galadriel stepped before them and Harry only just paid attention as she handed out gifts as he contacted Archie and told him about the six Lamia within Gondor. Archie would search for their minds and try to contact them.

Galadriel gave Aragorn a precious stone left to her by Arwen, Sam received a seed and a fine box filled with the enchanted soil of Lothlorien. Gimli received three strands of her hair which made Harry smile in amusement. To the Hobbits she gave Elven daggers to go with their Wyrda Blades which hadn't escaped her notice, and she also gifted Frodo with a small vial of magical liquid that would glow when needed.

Finally Elves stepped forward and placed Elven cloaks over the shoulders of every member of the Fellowship. Harry didn't need one since his own cloak was more than he needed and he could replicate the magical effects easily enough with his own magic.

"Every league you travel south, the danger will increase. Mordor Orcs now hold the eastern shore of the Anduin." Galadriel told them with a serious face. "Nor will you find safety on the western bank. Strange creatures bearing the mark of the White Hand have been seen on our borders. Seldom do Orcs journey in the open, under the sun, yet these have done so."

The group got onto their boats. Aragorn settled in one with Frodo and Sam. Legolas and Gimli and Harry took another whilst Boromir took Merry and Pippin in the third. "Travel fast." Galadriel warned them. "A storm approaches from the East that will make your voyage difficult if you linger." She gave Harry an amused look but Harry wasn't bothered. Aragorn noticed the look and Harry nodded at him to say that he would explain later that day.

Harry used a bit of his magic to push the boats out into the middle of the river and felt Galadriel's mind against his own. He opened his mind to her and knew she was speaking to Legolas and Aragorn as well. '_You are being followed.'_

Before they could respond she pulled back and instantly singing began along the treeline as almost a hundred Elves sung them farewell.

Harry gazed down the river as he settled down and took control of the boats with his magic to guide them and propel them down the river rather than tire them out by rowing all day.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	13. The End of the Fellowship

The Nuuruhuine

Chapter 13; The End of the Fellowship

**River Anduin**

Harry watched the celestial circle rotate slowly above his head with a patience that only he and Legolas could stand. In fact the Elf stood on watch beside him staring out at the water as it flowed passed. They had camped every night on the Western bank of the river despite Harry's assurances that he could navigate the three ships by night as well as by day. Aragorn had quite rightly pointed out that they had to stop to cook food and that not every being on Middle-Earth could stay cooped up in a small boat for a week straight.

Even as Harry tracked the movement of one of this world's other planets as it slowly wove its way across the sky he felt a presence touch at his mental shields. He recognised Archie instantly and opened his shields and slipped inside his own mind even if his eyes still traced the stars' slow spin across the sky.

"_Archie."_ Harry greeted stoically knowing that something had to be wrong for him to contact him like this.

"_I'm not going to explain but you should contact Annette as soon as you have a moment, she needs orders and I believe you'll want to make them yourself." _Archie told him and his calm voice made it seem as if this was a common occurrence and that a young Vampire summoning the mind of an Elder Lamia, let alone the leader of the Nuuruhuine, was commonly done. Archie withdrew without an answer and Harry realised that his friend was busy with something.

Harry reached out with his own mind and the stars faded from his sight, he brushed against Legolas' slightly and almost got a yelp from the Elf in surprise but he calmed himself quickly and resigned himself to taking watch alone as he realised what their blood-drinking escort was doing.

'_Annette.' _He whispered mysteriously as he found her within their basement within Edoras after quickly scanning the minds of those in the wooden city and finding nothing of particular interest baring a rather large group of warriors preparing to leave. He was satisfied as the young immortal dropped her bag in surprise. A bag that she had been packing in a great hurry.

'_My Lord?' _She stammered. How somebody could stammer within their own mind was something Harry resolved himself to figuring out later. He reached out to one of the Nuru Noste's humans and compelled him to see his leader on her knees and the pale look on her face. It wasn't controlling him but rather nudging him to look at something.

'_Archie told me that you may wish to speak with me, what is it?'_ He asked as the human lay her on her back and called for others with a panicked voice.

'_The King has ordered the banishment of one of his greatest warriors, a nobleman called Eomer, his own adopted son. He prepares to leave this instant along with several hundred of those loyal to him.' _She reported. '_With him gone Edoras is almost completely defenceless.'_

'_And the King ordered this?' _Harry asked knowing full well that the King was not himself.

'_Officially, yes.' _She sighed, '_Though it is obvious to most that it is Grima Wormtongue that gave the order.'_

'_Why give such an order? If Grima controls the king then he controls those men.' _Harry asked. '_What does Grima have to gain?'_

'_Eomer's sister, my Lord.' _Harry could feel her shudder slightly at the thought. '_Grima is infatuated with Eowyn and undoubtedly wants Eomer out of the way. Especially now that the King's only son by blood is dying.'_

'_You cannot cure his illness?' _He asked.

'_We have tried but it is magic and we cannot counter it.' _Annette told him sadly.

'_Very well.' _Harry pondered for a time before coming to a decision. '_Split your forces. Kira can link mentally with you I believe?'_

'_Yes, My Lord.'_ She mentally nodded.

'_Leave Kira in Edoras with half of your Vampires and humans and you ride out with the banished personally with the other half.' _Harry ordered. '_Assign two of your female humans to infiltrate the Princess' personal handmaidens to offer their protection from Wormtongue if needed.'_

'_What of when Eomer discovers us with him?' _She asked. '_He knows all of his men's faces if not their names as well. He would discover us in a matter of hours.'_

'_Go regardless, stay together and when found tell him who you are and that you serve the Council of Rivendell and those who would free his King.' _Harry hesitated. '_Decide between you whether you should reveal that you are Vampire or not. If you must flee from his party leave none of your own behind even if you must kill but keep a watch on them if possible.'_

'_Understood, my Lord.'_

Harry withdrew his mind carefully so as to not leave her unduly exhausted and found himself back with Legolas far East of where Edoras was in turmoil late at night. "What is happening?"

Harry looked sideways at the Elf not in the least surprised that he had sensed his mind's return. "Edoras is falling apart. Theoden has banished the majority of his active army leaving the city almost undefended whilst his only son is dying under the hand of magic that the Nuru Noste cannot counter."

"Could you counter it?" Legolas asked.

"Possibly but I will not forsake the Fellowship without any magical protection for the sake of one human, no matter his importance to the Rohirrim." Harry sighed. He noticed then that the sun was beginning to break the horizon far in the East and a hazy purple light spread slowly across the stars courtesy of the Weather magic controlled by the Dark Lord. "Rouse them when the sun lights the River. I must attend to the defence of Rohan."

"Are you always this concerned about other people not of your own?"

"I have a hero complex." Harry laughed. "Rohan controls the major passage through the Mountains, if Saruman takes control of it Sauron can use it to push his armies into the West without opposition."

"Very well." Legolas grinned at him.

Harry's mind slipped away up towards the North again in search of Archie, easily found in Rivendell. '_Archie.'_

'_Harry.' _Was the instant reply as Archie dropped whatever he had been doing and directed his attention solely to him.

'_I've ordered the Nuru Noste to split between protecting Edoras and riding with the banished army.'_ Harry told him. '_I want you to keep a close eye on everything that happens in the city and give me warning if you think the Nuuruhuine should personally intervene.'_

'_I was anyway.' _Archie mentally nodded.

'_Can you spare any men from Rivendell?' _Harry asked.

'_We're still fighting skirmishes with the Undead from Goblin Town but I can send two hundred men to rally with the banished Army though I'd rather keep the Vampires with me here.' _Archie admitted.

'_Very well, send the humans out at dawn with an olive branch and ask Annette to make the introductions.' _Harry nodded his agreement. '_I may have to call on the Lamia to fly south in an emergency though.'_

'_I'll pass the notice on to ready themselves.' _Archie assured him before his mind faded and Harry retreated to his own body and looked around as the Fellowship readied themselves and loaded the boats. Aragorn walked over to him as soon as he noticed that their ancient guardian was back in the real world.

"Legolas told me that there are problems in Rohan." Aragorn said though the statement was a question.

"I don't know whether it is a plan of Saruman's or Grima vying for position but Edoras is almost defenceless as their active army is now banished." Harry sighed.

"What have you been doing?" Aragorn asked referring to Harry's zoning out.

"Ordering my people into position. I have people protecting Eowyn, the Kings adopted daughter, people to warn me of an attack on the city and spy on the Rohirrim and people riding out with the banished army to make an allegiance." Harry sighed. "I'm also sending two hundred human soldiers to join the three hundred of the banished army."

"And what will you do if that doesn't work?" Aragorn asked suspiciously.

"We can only defend against Sauron and Nacraemeus if we all stand strong. If I have to march a thousand men into the Gap of Rohan and take control then I will do." Harry sighed. "I hope it doesn't come to that but I cant go there myself and abandon the Fellowship to take care of this the easy way. Especially with Gandalf gone."

Aragorn nodded to show he agreed even if an army marching into Rohan wasn't on his list of events to see in his life time. "So you have people watching the Elves and the Rohirrim yet nobody to defend Gondor."

Harry laughed loudly getting astonished looks from the others and noticed that Legolas and the Hobbits were trying to overhear the conversation. He spun slightly and pulled the Dunedain warrior towards him so he could whisper. "If the Steward knew of the army sailing toward Gondor under my orders he would probably run in fear." Harry pulled back and grinned. "Unfortunately until the King returns to Gondor I wont countenance any allegiance with that man. My spies in your realm have nothing good to report about him and Boromir's not exactly my favourite person."

Aragorn glanced sideways at the Steward of Gondor's son with a wiry look before he nodded sadly. "Are they going to invade?"

"My army?" Harry's head snapped around from where he had been watching the Hobbit's scrambling into the boats. "No, do not fear my little King, they wont invade unless there is no over option. They will however protect Gondor until your return."

"My return?" Aragorn looked shocked and Harry had to chuckle again.

"You tribe is gone Aragorn." Harry sighed knowing exactly how they had become extinct. "Where else do you expect to go? Did you plan to live in Rivendell for the rest of your life?"

Aragorn looked at him carefully but didn't offer an answer. "You will always be regarded as a King in Morchaint and will have a seat of power in Dras Arget yet your place is in Gondor. They need your strength, especially now and even if we do win this fight."

"It was your kind that killed my family." Aragorn sighed finally saying the thing that Harry had known he had wanted to since Harry had been assigned to the Fellowship.

"And it was one of my kind that saved your life and took you to Rivendell." Harry sighed. "He was killed for his treachery and he knew he would be."

"I know." Aragorn sighed. "Elrond always told me that I couldn't judge your race by those that killed my family but that I should remember the Lamia that flew me across the sky no matter the consequence."

"We fight against a great evil within ourselves. My kind always has." Harry admitted, this wasn't something that most on Middle-Earth knew. "By drinking blood we become stronger and more powerful but those of us with good hearts must fight the urge to take what we want no matter the cost to those we prey on."

"Elrond once told me that the only proof that you are good was that we were still here." Aragorn laughed as if the concept was ridiculous.

"He's right." Harry almost laughed at Aragorn's face though he restrained since this was such a serious situation. "If we wanted to we could easily sweep across Middle-Earth, the Elves are too few to stand against us and the more humans we feed off of and kill, the stronger we get."

"So why didn't they when you were sleeping?" Aragorn questioned.

"They were only in power for one hundred and fifty years and they had the loyalty of only a small proportion of Vampires, not enough to overcome the humans of my army and those amongst themselves that stayed faithful to me." Harry informed him. "We should be leaving."

Aragorn nodded and moved to help Sam pick up the last bundle and load it into one of the boats. Harry settled into the third boat with Legolas and Gimli and as soon as everyone was seated he pushed the boats out into the middle of the current and directed them downstream.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Gap of Rohan**

"My Lord Eomer!" One of his men shouted as he led forwards a group of men and women dressed in strange black clothing covered with the normal Rohirrim cloaks though the strange clothing had obviously been well hidden. "We found these fifteen together within our camp."

"Spies?" Eomer asked though none of him men deemed to reply. "Who would send men and women to infiltrate my troops? Who are you?"

Each of the prisoners were being held by one of his own Rohirrim but at his question one of the women shrugged off her captor as if he was only a small child and not the burly man he was. "I am Annette." She said as she walked forwards. "We come to you in peace at the orders of a member of the Council of Rivendell."

"You have hidden within my troops for almost twelve hours." Eomer grumbled out. "Why should I believe that you are an ally?"

"My Lord bids me tell you that he is among those that would try to release your King from his captors." She told him and gestured to the others of her party. Another nine of her allies shrugged out of their captor's grasps sending a few to the ground in the process and then turned to release their five friends. Eomer waved his troops back as they readied spears and other weapons.

"Who are you?" He asked finally eyeing the fact that this woman seemed to be their leader and another four stood within her ranks as equals. He wasn't a vain enough man to think that all women were weak, he had trained with his own sister after all, but the ease with which these had just overcome his men was ridiculous. "What are you?"

"We are half of Nuru Noste, Death's Birth. We have been hiding within Edoras for many weeks." She told him calmly. "We were spying under the orders of the Nuuruhuine of Morchaint. When you were banished our liege ordered us to follow you and assist you."

"You're Vampires!?" Annette's captor cried out suddenly putting together the clues and his own easy defeat.

"Two thirds of us are, the other third are humans." Annette admitted.

"Why would human's willingly ally themselves with Vampires?" Eomer asked sceptically.

One of the others stepped forward to stand beside Annette and Eomer noticed that some of them moved discreetly to protect him and four others. Whilst Eomer couldn't tell the difference between them it was now obvious which were the Vampires and which were the humans. The Vampires change of position in order to protect the other five was enough to prove themselves to Eomer. The human spoke regardless of Eomer's relaxing position.

"For two thousand years us humans have lived and died within Morchaint and barely ever have we regretted our ancestors decision to ally with them." He said. "We understand what they need to survive and none of us has ever been unduly treated by those around you."

"The horror stories that you have undoubtedly grown up with are based on the hate between us and the Gondorians." Annette sighed. "Though some of the things you have heard recently were acts committed by a rebel government that seized control. We awoke our ancestors and they are now commanding our armies to counter Saruman, Sauron and Nacraemeus."

"Where are the other half of your men?" Eomer asked her suspiciously.

"They are within the city. Two of my female friends, humans, are with your sister to protect her from Grima." Annette told him with a smile. "We know the real reason Grima decided to banish you and also how defenceless this has made Rohan."

"What can fifteen men possibly do against a Wizard?" Eomer asked with scepticism.

"Don't forget that we hid from the most powerful race in Middle-Earth for over one hundred years within their own city." Annette told him with a small smirk.

"How old are you, exactly?" Eomer asked her, the question signalling his acceptance of her words.

"One hundred and fifty." She smirked at him. "If we are done with this inquisition we should get on the move again."

"Why did you not stay within the city?" Eomer asked curiously.

"My orders were to follow you." She told him. "My Lords are sending two hundred from our human armies to join your troops. They will be here within four days."

"How do you know of all this?" Eomer asked as he signalled his men to continue to break camp.

"My Lords, those of the Nuuruhuine, are very powerful, they can monitor almost everything in Middle-Earth and contact almost anybody." Annette smirked again at his shocked look. "Shall we be going?"

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Rauros Falls**

Harry hated it here. Well not so much as hated but rather wanted to move on as soon as possible even if the next stage of their journey was East into the crags of Emyn Muil and then into Mordor. Legolas too had his reservations about this place. Their reasoning was that they couldn't hear the area around them. The great mile wide falls just downstream to them deafened their senses to anything around them and to make matters worse Harry didn't want to resort to his magic since they'd only give away their plans.

It was well known that they could no longer go south and that the last way for them was across Emyn Muil and therefore Harry's use of magic would only warn Nacraemeus as to where they were even if the man hadn't already guessed their plan.

As they set up camp, Harry took Aragorn and Legolas aside. Boromir and Gimli joined them after helping the hobbits take the equipment from the boats.

"We should remain here tomorrow and hunt for fresh meat." Boromir said and Gimli grunted his agreement most likely thoroughly sick of the Elvish Lembas bread.

"It's not a bad idea." Aragorn turned to Harry and for the first time all of the adults were looking to him to lead.

Harry shared an anxious look with Legolas before turning back to the two humans and dwarf. "No, we move out at dawn. Hunt this evening if you wish but this place is not defendable enough and too obvious a waypoint."

"What do you mean not defendable enough?" Boromir argued. "We've got sheer cliffs on two sides and a river on the third."

Harry glanced at Legolas again and got a nod. "It's not defendable because the falls blanks out our hearing. We cant hear anything over it."

"So, all of a sudden you're as _weak_ as us and suddenly you're a coward as well?" Boromir spat. Not even Legolas saw Harry move as he dashed across the two metres his wings propelling outwards and his hand grabbing the Gondorian by the throat. By the time the other human, the elf and the dwarf and spun their heads around to face Harry and Boromir he was a foot off the ground dangling by his throat. The only thing that kept his wind pipe open was the fact that Harry's other hand was under the human's arm to alleviate the pressure.

"You want cowardice, Gondorian?" Harry snarled. "You human's tortured us whenever we tried to help you. Undead swarmed your province and when we tried to help you captured one of us, tore off his wings bone by bone and slowly tortured him to death. _That _is cowardice!"

Harry threw the man backwards and he landed with a cloud of dirt next to the Hobbits who were all watching him in fear. Harry felt it rise up from Frodo and the Hobbit gasped as the Ring grew cold against his skin. Legolas grabbed his head as words began to echo across the clearing and Harry had to fight down his emotions before the Hobbit could relax again.

"I'm sorry, Frodo." Harry said quietly but everyone heard him. Frodo shivered slightly as he looked up into Harry's completely black eyes and fanged teeth, his wings arching high over his head over the fallen form of Boromir. Frodo scrambled up and ran off into the woods. "Leave him be, Aragorn."

Aragorn, who had been about to run off to follow him sighed but nodded. "I agree with Harry and Legolas." He said finally after the other human had risen to his feet. "There is no sense in us forsaking one of our biggest advantages for the sake of luxury."

Harry sighed and wrapped his wings around him. He knew that half of his outburst had been fuelled by the Ring but the other half had spawned from the centuries of crimes that the Gondorian's had committed against Vampires.

When he finally got control of himself the Hobbits had gotten a fire going with the help of Gimli and Aragorn. Boromir had vanished from the camp and Legolas was gazing out across the lake silently.

"Aragorn, we should go find Frodo now." Harry said quietly yet the Dunedain heard him regardless. "Gimli, Legolas, stay with the Hobbits."

He received nods all around, they were all slightly on edge around him after his small show. Harry turned and pulled in his wings as he headed off into the trees with Aragorn close behind him. Aragorn had more trouble of it since he couldn't dodge the thicket as easily as Harry and Harry never stuck to game trails like the Ranger wanted to do.

"Something's wrong, Aragorn." Harry jerked as he felt a hostile mind spread over the area from far away. He picked up his pace and along with Aragorn burst into a clearing on the top of one of the trees where an old ruin stood. "Frodo wore the Ring!" He snarled out as he realised that the mind was one he was unfamiliar with.

He tore into the other mind with his own, summoning the full weight of all the minds of the Nuuruhuine and a few others that Harry only knew were descendents of Archie. They collected behind his own and he used the combine mental weight to shove Sauron far away to the East, easily overcoming his defences and driving him away from the Ring and from Frodo.

As soon as he had retreated Harry politely dismissed the minds and they backed into the distance without a word. Harry found Frodo lying on the ground with Aragorn leaning over him. Aragorn helped him to stand but before they could question him Aragorn saw that Frodo's short sword, Sting, was glowing. Harry pulled his bow, ever strung at this time, and notched an arrow.

"Frodo, Run!" Aragorn yelled as he pulled his own sword and turned towards where Harry was aiming, towards the sound of running feet. Heavy feet. Frodo ran passed Harry just as the Orcs swarmed up the side of the hill and burst into the clearing. At least fifty swarmed into Aragorn and he was hard pressed to keep them at bay even with Harry shooting arrows as fast as possible. After only a minute of this Harry pulled his horn from his side and blew into it.

Aragorn stumbled slightly, wanting to clasp his hands to his ears, but he shrugged it off as the Uruk-hai flinched violently away from the sound. Down by the water, Legolas grabbed his weapons and dashed off before the others could work out what was happening.

Harry used up the rest of his arrows before slinging his bow and pulling out his two curved blades. He jumped next to Aragorn and together they fought through the teems of Uruk-hai but Harry knew even as they fought more slipped around them. All they could hope to do was distract the teems of enemies long enough for Frodo to escape into the East. Soon more arrows joined the fray as Legolas ran into the clearing with Gimli behind him swinging his axe around him furiously.

After only a few minutes of this they heard a horn blowing. Harry sliced the heads off of two Uruk-hai before turning his head towards Aragorn. "The Horn of Gondor!" He stated with a sigh. "Go! I'll catch up!"

The other glanced at him warily before running away into the woods. The remaining Uruk-hai circled him, making noises that resembled laughing. Harry sheathed his swords behind his back and one stepped forward with malicious grin on his face. He jumped forwards obviously thinking that Harry was defenceless even as Harry's wings snapped out and he caught him in mid leap, snapping the Uruk-hai's wrist to make him drop his sword. Harry pinned his arms to his side and wrapped his wings around the beast and to the shock of it's fellows sunk his teeth into it's neck.

Power flew through his body in an instant as the delicious blood revitalised every cell of his body. He didn't keep the energy however and bent it to his will as soon as he was fully fed. Darkness surrounded him even as the other Uruk-hai tried to pull their swords. A cloud of black mist spread out from Harry obscuring him from view. It spread across the clearing covering the Uruk-hai and instantly they began to choke.

The mist flowed quickly down the hill, blotting out the sun, and choking the life from the dozens of Uruk-hai it swept across. His allies braced themselves for the same fate but the mist parted around them, attacking the Uruk-hai but never effecting them. Harry had perhaps killed fifty of the Uruk-hai before he felt the last drop of blood drain from the body he held and he dropped it with distaste running his tongue across his teeth.

He flapped his wings as he vaulted into the air flying low over the trees toward where the horn had come from. When he landed he killed two Uruk-hai as they ran passed him and found himself raising an eyebrow as he noticed that the other beast didn't care about fighting anymore. His mist had reached here but he didn't think they'd run from it after it had dissipated.

He then realised what had happened. Aragorn was crouched over Boromir who was propped against a tree. Harry ignored Gimli and Legolas who were watching with concern and crouched down beside them as they talked. He surveyed Boromir's state but knew that it was helpless as soon as he saw the three arrows embedded in his chest.

Harry would have normally offered a warrior the choice to become a Vampire but he doubted that the human would appreciate the offer let alone take it. Harry stepped back so that the King of Gondor could bless the Steward's son as he died and went over to stand beside Gimli and Legolas.

"The Uruk-hai who escaped took Merry and Pippin with them, we arrived too late." Legolas sighed.

"What I want to know is how these scum got around behind us?" Gimli grunted as he kicked one of the hewn creatures roughly.

"They were never in front of us, Master Dwarf." Harry sighed. "These are not Uruk-hai of Mordor, these answer to Saruman."

"How can you be so sure?" Legolas asked but he saw the truth in Harry's words.

"These all carry the White Hand, the sign of the White Wizards power in Middle-Earth." Harry shook his head. Aragorn joined the after a hesitant silence and Harry noticed the tears that streaked his cheeks.

"We'll follow custom and float him out into the lake on a pyre." Aragorn stumbled slightly over the words. The custom had only begun after graveyards and burials had began to come alive when targeted by Nacraemeus. Entire villages had been wiped out by their own dead relatives when the defenders had been incapable of fighting against those they had known. Lamia, Elf and Dwarf agreed sullenly and Harry carried the human back to their camp.

As Harry summoned his and Legolas' arrows back to them with a mute wave of his hand the others readied one of the boats with firewood and anything they didn't plan on taking with them before laying the Gondorian one the top in a burial manner. Harry and Legolas both notched one of the human's less elegant arrows and after waiting for the boat to float gently into the middle of the lake Harry lit the arrow heads with his magic and aimed high into the air.

Without a discernable order both fired high and the four watched silently as the two arrows arched across the lake and slowly began to drop, the fire spreading across the whole length of the arrow before they both sunk with unerring accuracy amongst the greased firewood. Harry tucked his bow away with a note of finality and surveyed the other three as they watched the pyre burn.

His eyes could easily discern two small forms on the far Eastern bank and as he watched them they turned from their own vigil over the fire and slipped away into the dark forest behind them. Legolas was trying to ready one of the boats after seeing this when Aragorn stopped him.

"You mean not to follow them?" Legolas seemed quite shocked and so did Gimli. Harry had always known that eventually Frodo would have to complete this on his own. Gandalf had been of the same mind. Harry wondered whether the elder Wizard had foreseen that Sam would go too. The change had definitely shocked Harry though he guessed that it was for best.

"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands." Aragorn side as he picked the food and water from his pack before discarding the rest.

"Then it has all been in vain?" Gimli cried still looking rather shocked. "The Fellowship has failed!"

Harry stepped in before the human could argue back. "The Fellowship has not completely crumbled, Gimli." Harry said pulling his wings back into his body for the first time since the battle. "Merry and Pippin still need our help."

Legolas and Gimli squared themselves, grabbing what they needed from the supplies around them. "Let's hunt some Orc!" Aragorn smirked before leading the way into the forest. Harry waited by the shore for a few more moments as he gently set light to everything around the camp so that nothing could be salvaged from it. It did occur to him that for the first time in the history of Middle-Earth, the four races were working together on equal footing. One Lamia, one Dunedain-human, one Elf and one Dwarf. Fighting to save Hobbits from a fate worse than death at a Wizard's hand.

Harry could easily just fly forwards and decimate the Uruk-hai with his Thunderbird or even just his magic but he ran the risk of them killing Merry and Pippin as soon as they believed that their cause was hopeless. At least with the four of them they could fight them on more even grounds and the two Hobbits might stand a chance of survival. Also the Hobbits did still have their Wyrda Blades with them and not even a band of Uruk-hai could take away that card. Harry just hoped that they used it wisely.

Harry looked one last time at the burning boat heading towards the falls before slipping into the trees and catching up with the trio not two minutes of easy running later.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	14. Chase

The Nuuruhuine

Chapter 14; Chase

**West of Rauros Falls**

"They have reached the Entwash." Harry told the group simply as he stood from his place against the floor. He had flown an hour ahead of the group so that he could find fresh food in the form of a deer and then reach out to find the group. They had reached the River that split through the plains between the Gap of Rohan and the larger River Anduin. It marked the Eastern border of Rohan.

It had been four days of running and they were all tired. They had been forced to stop to rest the night before since Gimli and Aragorn had been pushed far beyond their physical abilities. Luckily the Uruk-hai had been forced to do the same though they had rested for a mere three hours.

"We continue!" Aragorn announced before taking off. Gimli grunted but with six ours rest he had enough energy to go on without complaining. Harry watched them run down the hill before taking off after them as he drew level with Aragorn he motioned for him to listen.

"I'm going to take off ahead to contact my people in Rohan, I'll wait for you in five miles." Aragorn nodded his agreement and Harry spread his wings and using a sudden burst of energy launched himself off of the top of a hill and out into open air.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Rohan - Exiled troops.**

Annette rode calmly beside Lord Eomer as his three hundred troops and her own fourteen friends passed slowly North East across the plains away from Edoras and towards the River Entwash.

"So tell me My Lady Annette." Eomer turned to her. "What is the legendary Dras Arget like?"

"I have told you many times, Lord Eomer. I am no Lady." She told him.

"But you command a formidable group." He said referring to her fourteen friends who he had watched sparring, and winning, against most of his men. "How could you not be a Lady?"

"There are only twenty Lords and Ladies in Morchaint. Those of the Nuuruhuine, the Ancients." She told him seriously. "No other can contend against them and none in Morchaint are stronger than they."

"Surely somebody could beat them." Eomer said but looked down as several of the Nuru Noste turned hard looks onto him.

"None of us would dream of it. We would not even survive a second against even the weakest. In two thousand years none of them have truly been injured, not since they first arrived here and Lord Alex was captured and tortured by the Gondorians." She told him seriously.

"Ah, the myth of the furious storm that half destroyed Minis Tirith." Eomer chuckled, his other men within hearing range joined in as they all remembered the story of their mother country being decimated so many years ago by a huge storm. They quieted quickly as they saw the solemn faces of their allies around them.

"That is no myth Lord Eomer." Annette smirked at their suddenly shocked faces. "Lord Corvil summoned a storm to besiege Minis Tirith to rescue Lord Alex."

"Lord Corvil?" Eomer asked.

"Our Liege and the most powerful of the Nuuruhuine." Annette smiled. "He is a truly amazing being with the vision to build a country here and protect it for two thousand years turning it into the most powerful nation in Middle Earth."

"I believe that role still belongs to Gondor." Lord Eomer sounded sure of himself. The other Nuru Noste chuckled but Annette silenced them with a jerk of her head.

"Believe what you will of us, Lord Eomer." Annette told him. "Your opinion will mean little in the end."

Just as he was about to comment a horn blast met their ears from surprisingly close. All of their horses veered sharply and the Rohirrim flinched at the harsh tone pulling their swords and spears into position. Eomer glanced at Annette and frowned as he realised that her and her friends were sitting in their saddles calmly trying to calm them with small smiles on their lips.

"Those are the Horns of Morchaint." Annette told him. "Our reinforcements have arrived."

Eomer twisted in his seat to face her as his horse shied sideways. "Where are they?"

It was one of the mysteries of the six toned horn. The sound was so horrible to the ears of anyone who wasn't used to it that it took away any chance that they could follow it to its source. Annette however, as a Vampire, had no such handicap and simply pointed to a ridgeline to the North West and just to the left of their front. On the top were three men on horseback. Their silver and black armour gleamed strangely in the light as one of them raised a hand in hail.

Annette pulled out a horn from her saddle bag and blew into it in a short burst. The Rohirrim around them flinched violently but the effect was evident. The scouts on the hill top waved their arms over their heads and after a few seconds the whole ridge top was filled with horses and their human riders. At a quick count there was just over one hundred and fifty.

Eomer called his men to stand easy and there was a gently rustling as they all relaxed. The middle of the group above them began to move forwards down the slope and soon the flanks wound down too in a line four across.

When the two groups met there was a tense silence before Annette rode forwards with one of her human counterparts to meet the human Morchaint army. She nodded at them with a smile and flash of her fangs to show what she was.

"Ah, you must be of the Nuru Noste." The human Captain spoke. "Can I assume that you are Annette?"

"I am." She nodded. "This is Lord Eomer, nephew and adopted son to the King of Rohan."

"My Lord, it is an honour." He nodded. "And it is a pleasure to meet the leader of our saviours, Annette. I am Captain Atta of the Fifth Company, Second Battalion of the Third Army."

"The rest of the second battalion is where?" Annette asked.

"They have remained in Rivendell." Captain Atta told her.

"I was to understand that you were two hundred strong?" Eomer queried as he eyed the rather formidable and neat looking company of riders that had come to a rest amongst his own men. They were all human after all.

"There are one hundred and sixty with us here. Two scouting parties of twenty are within relay distance to the North and South. I shall call them to meet us immediately now that we have found you." He nodded to a small group of men waiting nearby who jumped off of their horses and running off up one of the hills to the top. Eomer watched as they brought their horns to their lips.

"I would suggest covering your ears." Annette announced loudly to all of them. The humans of both armies did as told but still flinched as five horns blasted out around them. Annette waited in silence and not ten seconds later a soft sound was heard from the North and again from the South. She turned back to speak to the Captain and Lord but felt her limbs go limp. She slipped sideways off of her horse and landed with a thump as she felt a mind invade her own with such overwhelming superiority that her own finely tuned defences did nothing but step aside.

'_I apologise for the abruptness of my entry, Annette.'_ The familiar sound of Lord Harry Corvil met her mind. She dimly noticed that Captain Atta, Lord Eomer and most two humans and a Vampire from the Nuru Noste were at her side already. '_I see that the Fifth Company has met up with you. Their timing is excellent.'_

"What's wrong with her?" Lord Eomer sounded worried.

"She is speaking to one of the Nuuruhuine." Her Vampire counterpart was heard saying.

"Really!?" Captain Atta gasped.

'_It seems that we have an audience.'_ Her Lord chuckled deeply in her mind. '_I did not believe that events would force our hand so soon. The Fellowship has been torn apart. Uruk-hai have entered Rohan through the Eastern border and head north along the Entwash to Isengard.'_

'_What are you orders? _She asked, not realising that she had said it aloud and within her mind.

'_Enlist Eomer's help if possible otherwise take command of the Fifth Company and hunt them down and destroy them. I hunt them also with the remains of the Fellowship but you must cut them off before they reach Isengard.' _She felt him begin to pull out and his next words were quieter. '_Be careful Annette, these Uruk-hai are more powerful than Orcs. They have two halflings with them, rescue them and keep them safe. I shall meet up with you soon I believe.'_

As soon as he finished speaking he was gone and she gasped as she bolted upright.

"Do we have orders?" Captain Atta asked her.

"Lord Harry Corvil wishes us to join forces with the Rohirrim party to hunt down a group of Uruk-hai, more powerful versions of the Orc, who had captured two halflings and are carrying them to Isengard along the Entwash." She told him. Lord Eomer gave her a hard look even as her Vampire friend helped raise her exhausted body up and one of the human Nuru Noste came up to her side with a smile on his lips.

"I don't follow his orders. Why should I commit my troops?" Eomer argued.

"We hunt them on his orders." Annette told him. "You may do as you wish, but if you wish to allow them to roam freely across your own lands then it is on your head if they do something atrocious."

"We leave immediately." Captain Atta raised his hand and instantly his troops mounted up and formed into a line ten abreast and twenty deep. Lord Eomer seemed to hesitate but acquiesced as he watched Annette drink blood from the wrist of her human friend. He raised his own hand and his own troops took up positions behind the Morchaint humans in the same pattern.

Captain Atta, Lord Eomer and a now fully revived Annette took up the front with the Nuru Noste ranged out behind them and after collecting the forty scouts they rode hard and fast into the North in the hopes of cutting off the Uruk-hai as they crossed under the eaves of Fangorn forest.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Three days later**

Harry pulled up to a stop with a skip as the group of four ran through the night, he could feel the echo of a battle on the wind and it was nearby. Only a day from them at the most.

"How far?" Aragorn grunted as he skidded to a stop next to him.

"I believe that our task is done." Harry muttered looking up at the stars as if it would tell him what he wanted to know.

"What do you mean?" Aragorn asked with a worried look dreading the worst.

"There is a battle a day's run into the North, right where the Uruk-hai should be." Harry told him.

"Against who?" Aragorn asked as Legolas and Gimli came running up.

"Against the Riders of Rohan and my own fifth company of humans." Harry told them.

"What about Merry and Pippin?" Legolas asked with a frown, probably imagining what the two little Hobbits would do in a full scale battle.

"I do not know. The Nuru Noste had orders to rescue them but they could have been lost in the fighting." Harry sighed. "They are too close to Fangorn's magic for me to know for sure."

"What do you mean?" Gimli asked with a sour look.

"There are not many beings more powerful than the Nuuruhuine in Middle Earth but those that live within Fangorn are among the few." Harry told them. "We continue until I hear word."

As they ran Harry shrugged off his distinctive black and silver cloak and donned the travelling cloak that the Elves of Lothlorien had gifted them all with. In these open plains he'd be stupid to discard their subtle blend of magic that would hide them all from others eyes.

They spent the rest of the night and the early morning running north and Harry was just about to stop to discover what he could from the air around them when the sound of hooves met his and Legolas' ears and they both came to a stop so suddenly that Aragorn and Gimli ran straight into them. Harry looked up the small rise from the broad valley they stood in and pulled up his hood. Travellers would give information to Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli much easier without a Vampire watching over them.

"Riders approach in the hundreds and quickly." Legolas announced to the two more ordinary team members.

"Perhaps a merchant group travelling south to Edoras from the Eastern towns?" Aragorn suggested.

They stood together as the riders broke out across the top of the rise and came pelting down the slope. The first fifty or so Riders rode straight passed them before Aragorn raised his hand and called out to them. Instantly they reacted, swirling around them before they finally came to a rest in a broad circle with their spears pointed at them. Harry easily noticed that almost two fifths of the ones he could see wore the black and silver of his own army whilst the others wore the green armour of the Rohirrim.

Three instantly swung off their horses and strode toward them with hands on their swords. Harry reached out with his magic and suddenly to their attackers there were only three of them, as if the fourth had never been there to start with. "What business does an Elf, a Man and a Dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!"

"Give me your name Horse-master, and I shall give you mine!" Gimli said rather bravely considering the forest of spears around them.

The Rider picked pulled his sword but held it loosely. "I would cut off your head, Dwarf, if it stood but a little higher off the ground."

Legolas and Harry moved faster than the human Rider's could follow though the fact that Harry wasn't there as far as they knew hid him from even the Vampires that reacted against Legolas. Legolas had his bow out and an arrow aimed at the Rider Lord's head but he was clearly shocked when he went to speak and no fewer than ten of the Rider's had bows out and aimed at the Elf with serious looks on their faces and unwavering aims.

Harry in the confusion had spun around the group and came to a halt behind the Vampire that had unhorsed and now stood next to one of his human Captains. He recognised her easily as Annette, the leader of the Nuru Noste. He also noticed that the Vampires within the first and second row of horses were watching her for the signal to fire.

"Enough of this." Harry spoke in a hiss that made Annette and the Captain jump. In an instant her sword was pointing at him. His own choice to speak had nullified his magic and now he stood for all to see without his Elven cloak to hide his black and silver clothing. He met Annette's eyes and her sword dropped from her finger tips shocking the Captain who had a higher opinion of her. Harry could feel the nagging feeling of arrows aimed at him so briefly thought of his wings and grinned happily as they burst from his back and arched high over his head.

Most of the horses reared but not one had a Morchaint human on them since they were used to the Lamia. Harry looked around the circle slowly and watched as recognition spread across all of the Vampire and Morchaint humans' faces before in a flurry of movement two fifths of the Rider slipped off of their horses and bowed low to him.

The Rohirrim Lord stood gapping in shock as those he had known for five days or more bowed down so completely to this winged stranger that he had only heard of from children's horror stories.

"My Lord!" Annette gasped.

Harry stared at her for a time before nodding his head slowly in respect, a position that she had hard earned by waking him personally. There was a rustle of movement and muttering as the five hundred Riders watched this though most of the anxious muttering was from those of Morchaint. Harry stepped passed Annette and tucked his wings in though he didn't pull them in. "Relax Legolas. We are in now danger here."

The human Lord looked shocked at this announcement before realising that he was indeed no longer in control of this army. His own Rider still waited on his word but the two hundred others watched this Vampire with rapt attention and what looked like undying respect in their eyes. "Who are you? Annette said that they had no Lords and Ladies."

"Did she really?" Harry spoke softly but everyone heard him. He glanced over his shoulder but Annette shook her head slightly before she spoke.

"I told him that the only Lords and Ladies were that of the Nuuruhuine." She said.

"Well that would make me Nuuruhuine then." Harry turned back to the human Lord with a small smirk. "One of the Death Shadows."

Annette seemed to be toying with the idea of letting Harry torment the man for longer but decided against it. Harry wasn't really bothered about making friends with the man. Allying with the Rohirrim wasn't vital to Harry's plans against Nacraemeus. "Lord Eomer, may I have the honour of introducing to you my Liege, Lord Harry Corvil, Leader of the Nuuruhuine."

Lord Eomer opened and closed his mouth a few times in shock. He had overheard the Morchaints speaking of him and the tales of the Nuuruhuine that they had told to his own men over the campfires while they cooked.

Harry watched him for a few seconds before turning to Annette with flashing eyes. She almost shrank back. "Where are the Hobbits?" He asked sounding harsher then he actually meant to be.

"My apologies, my Lord." She stammered out. "We found only evidence of their presence."

"No tracks?" Harry asked. She hesitated, glancing at the humans. The other Vampires glanced at each other nervously as well. Harry looked at Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli quickly. "I'm sorry, my friends. I must speak to Annette alone." He led her to the side and leant closer so that she could speak without even Legolas hearing.

"There were tracks, my Lord." She hesitated again.

"What is the matter, Annette?" Harry frowned sensing the worry emanating from her and the other Vampires.

"The tracks led into the forest. When we tried to follow the trees reached out for us." Annette looked really shaken. "We felt all of their anger. They wanted us dead."

"The forest will not suffer us to pass." Harry sighed. "I had feared that they would flee into the forest."

"I'm sorry, my Lord. We had no choice but to stay with the Rohirrim."

"That's ok, Annette, there was nothing else you could have done." Harry told her reassuringly. "Stay with them for the time being."

She nodded before backing off to join the other Vampires of the Nuru Noste. Harry walked up to his own friends where they were being offered Horses. There were actually three horses, one for Aragorn, one for Legolas and Gimli and a last for himself but all three shied away at his approach. He grinned impishly at Eomer. "Annette!" He called to her where she was discussing things in a low tone to some of her Nuru Noste. "A Horse if you please."

"Captain Atta, do you have a spare horse?" She asked him.

"Of course, Annette." He called out and signalled sharply with his arm. A Rider span his horse and made his way through the crowd of Riders to find a horse. He returned several moments later with a beautiful black Gelding with a strong, calm look about him. Harry nodded sharply as he stroked the horse on his nose and then pulled his wings away.

"We ride now. Be careful Annette, Captain Atta." Harry announced as he swung himself effortlessly onto the horses back. Legolas and Aragorn lifted Gimli up onto the saddle before the Elf jump up onto the back of the horse and took the reigns. Aragorn said their farewells to Lord Eomer and Harry nodded at the human before spinning the horse sharply. A space appeared in the crowd in an instant and Harry spurred his horse into a trot followed quickly by Legolas and Gimli. As he passed the line his own men saluted him with a thump and a bow of their torsos. Harry returned the salute by bringing his own fist to his sternum and nodded his head sharply.

As soon as the three horses were clear Harry shifted his weight and the horse picked up the command without needing words and broke into a gallop. The Rohirrim horses copied the strange horses and soon all three of them were darting across the plains though Harry had to keep pulling his horse back to keep up with the other horses that both had larger weights on their backs. Lamia really didn't weigh much at all.

They rode throughout the rest of the morning before finally coming up to the edge of Fangorn forest. Guided by a high rising smoke trail they easily found where the Rohirrim and Morchaint Rider's had burned the Uruk-hai bodies. Harry winced at the horrible smell that affected him all the more for his higher senses. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli walked around looking rather pale. They hadn't heard his and Annette's conversation about the forest and their tracks.

Harry however ignored them completely as he walked slowly across the remains of the battlefield. It had been a complete massacre, with only fifty or so Uruk-hai on foot against five hundred horse riders it would have been over extremely quickly, especially with an additional eight or nine Vampires. He came to a halt just where he could feel that Merry and Pippin had entered into the dark forest. The trees groaned as if they were moved by the wind yet the air remained still.

"The tracks lead away from the battle!" Aragorn cried as he came toward Harry focusing on the ground and oblivious of Harry's position. Harry caught the man before he ran into him.

"Into Fangorn Forest." Harry muttered anxiously. Aragorn nodded at him in agreement. "The Nuru Noste told me as much."

"You knew they weren't dead!" Gimli grumbled threateningly. Harry just shrugged nonchalantly getting glares from the Dwarf. He just turned back to the forest and then after a moment took a step towards the forest, something he hadn't done in over a thousand years.

Instantly the trees moved shocking Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli who hadn't felt the vibes from the trees. Legolas did now though as he gasped and listened to the whispers in the wind.

"The forest will not allow us passage?" Aragorn asked in confusion.

"No, Aragorn." Harry sighed and took a step backwards. "The forest will not allow me passage."

"What do you mean?" Aragorn asked him.

"I have heard rumours of this." Legolas whispered before Harry could answer. "My father told me of undead forcing their way into Fangorn a thousand years ago. The forest utterly decimated a ten thousand strong undead army and their Vampire pursuers."

"Ever since that day no Vampire has been permitted entrance by these trees." Harry sighed. "Not even the Nuuruhuine."

"Couldn't you force your way through?" Gimli asked shaking his axe at the trees in irritation. The trees groaned again.

"Lower your axe, Gimli." Aragorn warned him.

"I could possibly force my presence but it would only hinder us and anger being far older than myself." Harry told them seriously before turning his back on the forest and walking back towards his horse. "This is where our paths diverge my friends."

"What!?" Aragorn asked shocked. Harry paused and slowly turned to them to see a sadden trio. They had all gotten closer in the last few days.

"You will see me again I expect." Harry told them. "Until then, do what you can for Merry and Pippin."

The three nodded, Gimli looked annoyed, Legolas saddened and Aragorn anxious. Harry smiled at them baring his fangs before spreading his wings. "Take care of my horse for me." With that he was airborne and turning north westward towards Isengard and from there to Lothlorien and Rivendell.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	15. Released by Blood

The Nuuruhuine

Chapter 15; Release by Blood

**Lothlorien**

Harry slowly ate his way through a Kalum apple as he sat at the head of the Council Building of Lothlorien. He was patiently listening to Denver, Calamy and Lucus, three of the five surviving Lamia from Moria. They had been hiding in Gondor since they knew that the corrupt council of Morchaint wouldn't try to enter Gondor without a massive army.

Calamy had been hiding amongst the main army, rising through the ranks as a Lieutenant and had arrived in Lothlorien dressed accordingly. Denver was a member of the Steward's personal Guard and Lucus was posing as a merchant along with Zepher and Anita. Harry had been impressed with their ability to blend in with the most anti-Vampiric society in Middle-Earth. Well possibly the worst but it was close run with the undead community.

"To put it bluntly, My Lord. The Steward is slowly running the country to ruin. Orcs have completely overrun the Eastern bank of the Anduin and already Osgiliath is nearly completely raised." Calamy reported, he was a member of the army charged with holding back the Orcs. "The Stewards refuses his own son's requests for reinforcements."

"How is it that you have been able to travel here without your absence being noted?" Harry asked them all.

"The people that work for me know well what Zepher, Anita, their son Pier, and I are and are willing donors. My departure was noticed but they don't mind." Lucus told him.

"I am doing a solo scouting mission of the border with Rohan. I won't be missed for another four days when I am due to report back to Captain Faramir." Calamy told him.

"What about you, Denver?" Harry prompted.

"The Steward does not know the faces of his own bodyguards. My absence will not be noticed." Denver told him with confidence.

"Very good." Harry stood. "I thank you for your Intel, return to your lives and await our arrival."

The others stood instantly and bowed to him as he strolled out with a thought full look on his face. He was glad to see the exiles safe and sound. He had hoped to see Zepher again. He had cradled his descendent in his arms after he was born one hundred years before his sleep began and he was overjoyed to here that he and Alex still had a descendent, especially with the news of Pier's birth.

Harry quickly made his way to Galadriel's private Audience chamber but refused the seat. "I am sorry, My Lady, but I must leave as soon as possible."

"I take it the news from your exiles was not to your pleasing?" Celeborn asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, indeed it was, though it was expected." Harry grinned slightly. "I always said that the placement of Stewards to govern Gondor was an ill advised move. The Council of Morchaint should have intervened."

The Council of Morchaint was a council formed between all of the races on Earth. Dwarves, Elves, Humans and Vampires so that decisions could be made for the mutual benefit of Middle-Earth. Unfortunately the Council had dissolved when Morchaint's borders had closed to all but the corrupt Lamias.

"It was decided to honour the wishes of the last King." Celeborn argued.

"What do you intend to do?" Galadriel met his eyes.

"I don't intend to sit back and wait like you Elves are content to. Both countries of men are falling, one from without and one from within. Both have a simple solution." Harry told them. "I intend to travel to Edoras and remove the corruption there since that is the easiest to deal with."

"And how will you deal with Saruman's magic?" Galadriel questioned him.

"In the only way that will ensure the root of this tampering is destroyed." Harry told him.

"Why do I not like the sound of that?" Celeborn sighed.

"Because I'm a Vampire?" Harry teased. "I then intend to deal with the more complicated situation in Gondor. Place Aragorn back on his throne whether I have to use force or not."

"Aragorn will not take kindly to that." Galadriel put in helpfully.

"Kindly or not, it is his duty. I do not want Gondor as a vassal to the Council of Morchaint and neither do any other member of said Council, but I won't let Gondor fall." Harry said sternly. "I have said it many times before. I will happily walk an army into Minis Tirith to ensure that the southern reaches are not overrun by Nacraemeus."

"What are your thoughts on Rohan?" Galadriel asked.

"I have seen the fires of Orthanc from above, he is building an army that will cut through the Rohirrim if they are left undefended." Harry told them. "I have troops moving into place and they will arrive in five days. I don't have a massive force available without taking from those pushing the Undead out of Mirkwood."

"We will send a contingent to aide the Rohirrim." Celeborn said after a moments thought. "Since your departure, ties between the races have degraded. Especially between us and the Dwarves of the North. We will honour the old friendships."

"Send them to the Hornberge." Harry told him. "The Rohirrim will undoubtedly flee there."

"Agreed." Galadriel nodded. "Do you intend to speak to the Dwarves?"

"I had thought of it." Harry nodded. "I shall send an invitation with one of the Nuuruhuine to a meeting in Dras Arget."

"The Dwarves had always loved Dras Arget." Celeborn smirked slightly as he nodded. "They would be open to renewing the treaty."

Harry bowed slightly to show his respect for the older Elves and walked swiftly from the chamber perched on the tree top. He drew out his wings and launched himself down out of the treehouse and into the open air.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Edoras**

Kira stared up at the sky as it darkened and gave way to night. The city was quiet and she hated it, it reminded her too much of Dras Arget after curfew, only this time there wasn't Lamia guards patrolling the streets and she was confident that even if the human guards found them they could escape. Back in Dras Arget there was a constant fear that they'd be caught in some rebellious act and wouldn't be able to escape the high walls without being killed.

She found herself shaking ever so slightly and felt a hand rest gently on the crook of her elbow. Mitch squeezed her arm gently to boost her confidence and she gave him a small smile. "I can't believe we standing here waiting for Lord Corvil."

"I know, I never thought I'd live to see the Nuuruhuine awakened again and our oppression solved." Mitch, a human, admitted. "It seemed so mystical, like a hopeful childhood dream that you grow out of."

"I know what you mean." Kira nodded at him before breathing in a large gulp of air. "Without Annette I don't think we'd ever have had the guts to go through with it."

"I don't know about that." They both tensed and jumped around at the smooth whisper and their eyes scanned the seemingly empty balcony. Kira found her hand on her short sword as she tried to find her enemy.

"Who's there?" Mitch growled out annoyed that he had been snuck up on especially since none of the Nuru Noste Vampires could do such a thing. He was also worried that whoever this was had snuck through the house they had taken over and that made him worried about his friends health.

"Your friends are fine. They do not know of my arrival." The shadows told them before a form appeared from a small shadow to their right far from where they were trying to search for it. "You must be Kira. Annette's second in command. I am afraid that I do not know your name."

Kira frowned before noticing the mythril armour of the higher Lamia under the black and silver robes of Morchaint. Then the special cut of the normally standard uniform caught her eyes. Only the Nuuruhuine customized their armour. "Lord Corvil!" Kira gasped and sunk instantly onto one knee and bowed her head. Mitch followed suit in an instant.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Harry smiled slightly as he came fully out into the dying light and he flicked his hand to bid the two to rise. "We have much to discuss and little time to do it. Action must be taken tonight to restore Rohan's King to his proper place amongst the Council of Morchaint." He told them as they rose. "Gather all of the Nuru Noste at your disposal, Kira. We attack the Golden Hall in ten minutes."

They glanced at each other nervously considering the number of guards that Wormtongue had defending him and the puppet King. Harry glanced at them with a little respect. At least they were cautious though he had known that already, they _had _managed to stay convert whilst in Dras Arget. "They won't know we are there until I get to the King and then it will be your job to protect me while I release him from the spell. I'll deal with any trouble after I am done."

"Yes, My Lord." Kira nodded her head before whistling through her teeth too low for any human to hear. Harry felt his eyebrows rise up to his hairline. Interesting way to contact the Vampires in the city. That sound would easily travel across to every nook and cranny in the city but only the Vampires could possibly hear it. Harry heard a couple of dogs going crazy on the other side of the City; almost only the Vampires then.

Harry disappeared into the shadows again as the Nuru Noste appeared and gathered around Kira expectantly. They had all evidently known of his impending arrival as they listened in on his half explained plan.

"How does he plan on freeing him from the spell?" One of the human's asked.

Kira nervously glanced in his direction and he chuckled making all of them jump except for Kira and Mitch who smirked at their friends. "Only in the best way possible." Harry said as he appeared from the shadows behind the human who had spoken, he scrapped his canines lightly on the human's neck. "Right here." He whispered and noted that the human shivered at his light touch. These humans, unlike the others, found pleasure in being drunk from and didn't mind as long as it was with their permission.

The man sagged slightly as Harry withdrew his influence. Harry didn't have to force his prey into giving up their blood, he, like the other Nuuruhuine could seduce any one into becoming a donor and by the assembled Nuru Noste's faces they knew it too. "Don't underestimate me." Harry whispered quietly before stepping away from the rather dazed human. He looked to Kira. "As soon as he regains control of his desires we'll go."

"Yes, My Lord."

"Remember, I don't want any accidental deaths." Harry warned them. "These are our allies not our enemies."

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Golden Hall; Edoras**

Harry slipped through the shadows towards the main audience hall. He didn't trouble himself with the guards letting the Nuru Noste take each of them out so that the humans weren't caught by accident. When they reached the main audience hall they were greeted with ten guards sitting at ease by the door. Another five were spread out more alertly by the head of the room around two seats. One had a frail old man seated in it whilst the other, smaller, chair held Grima Wormtongue.

"Is that the Princess?" Harry whispered only loud enough for Kira and the other Vampires to hear.

"Yes, the two taller hand-maidens are ours but the other one isn't." Kira whispered back just as quietly.

They split into two groups. The human's and three of the Vampires lingered at the entrance hidden in shadows to take out the majority of the guards and to hold the front door against any intrusions. Harry took the second group with only Vampires up the side of the hall and around the back of the King's throne.

Harry split off before they arrived and made his way back to halfway down the hall. Once everyone was in place he stepped out into the centre of the chamber. Nobody moved but all saw him. One of his swords was resting against his thigh and he tapped it slightly against his leather trousers as he smirked at Wormtongue.

"Who are you!?" Wormtongue snarled as he stood, drawing his robes around him.

"By order of the Council of Morchaint, I issue the order for the immediate arrest of Grima the Black, also known as Wormtongue, for actions of sabotage against King Theoden of Rohan." Harry intoned without emotion. The men at the end of the hall were drawing swords.

"Kill him!" Wormtongue cried and all in the room looked at Harry only to see a blur of black slam into the Wizard throwing him backwards into his chair. Harry's winged flared out and arced into the air blocking the view down the hall even as the Nuru Noste attacked at both ends. The hall erupted into a scramble of motion but Harry ignored it. It was Kira that pinned Wormtongue to the ground. The other guards were easy to overcome.

Harry took one look at Theoden and knew the best course even if the Rohirrim didn't like it. Harry grabbed the man up from his throne and in a second bite into his neck. He kept the 'old' man up with his left hand and sheathed his sword behind his back.

Harry only had a split second warning as one of the hand maidens cried out in surprise but he caught the blade that was aimed at the back of his neck with his hand. He didn't even wince as the sharp metal cut into the palm of his hand all the way to the bone. He threw the sword away from his with all his strength and was satisfied when he met resistance for an instant as his attacker was thrown away from him like a rag doll.

He relaxed into his draining of the man's blood but took the bare minimum needed to establish a link. Instantly he felt a mind smash into his own shields. It had been a while since he had felt such a powerful mind but he held it at bay with ease. Any intrusion into the mind of a Nuuruhuine or their blood relatives, which meant every Lamia, was instantly felt by their ancestor or the others in the Nuuruhuine. He felt Alex's mind beside his in an instant and it clean kicked Saruman from his mind and back into Theoden's. Harry knew that he could do this without their help but that would take longer and meant more blood lost by the King of Rohan. He attacked with his and Alex's mind as Archie joined them followed every other second by another two of the Nuuruhuine until all twenty minds slammed Saruman out of the King's mind and spirit.

He felt Archie building a permanent wall around Theoden's mind to prevent another intrusion of the same kind, but Harry reined in the other before the pursued and attacked Saruman's mind. '_He will be dealt with at a later time.'_ Harry told them as he pulled back into his own mind. '_All is done. Rohan is once again free. Archie, inform Lords Elrond and Celeborn and Lady Galadriel.'_

Harry didn't need a response and cut the link, he felt Alex brushed his own mind against his lovingly as he withdrew and felt a smile grace his lips as he came back into reality. He placed Theoden back into his throne before stepping away and looking around. Five of the Nuru Noste Vampires were bracing the front doors as bodies crashed into the other side. The others were guarding a small group of unarmed Rohirrim who didn't have a scratch between them though some looked slightly bruised.

Harry looked closer to him and saw a hand maiden, the unknown one fussing over the King's niece. The two Nuru Noste hand maidens were guarding the two with daggers pointed loosely at them. Harry realised then what had happened. The Princess had pulled up one of the Rohirrim guards' swords and attacked him, it was her that he had thrown away from himself. As he remembered this he glanced down at his hand which was still bleeding. He brought it to his mouth and licked his own blood form the skin.

As he brought it away it was already almost completely closed and only two more seconds were needed before it was fully closed. Harry glanced at Kira who was looking at him in shock and he remembered his early years; it had taken him ten minutes to heal minor cuts like that one when he was young. "I'm sorry, My Lord, she took us by surprise."

Harry nodded in acceptance to Kira's apology and glanced at the two Nuru Noste humans that had posed as the Princess' hand maidens. "Is Princess Eowyn ok?" He asked them.

"Yes, My Lord, just dazed." The younger of the two bowed to him after answering.

"Take her to her chambers." Harry ordered. The Princess, having heard this, forced herself up to her knees and scrambled across the floor. Harry held up his hands to prevent the Nuru Noste from stopping her. She grabbed her Uncle and placed herself between Harry and the King. "Leave her be, we have other problems to deal with."

The room's temperature seemed to drop as Harry drew himself up, his eyes flashed solid black and the air seemed to tingle around him. Harry rounded on the prone form of Grima Wormtongue, being kept on the ground with his face pressed painfully into the ground. He waved the two Nuru Noste back and they leaped back. Grima tried to run but Harry grabbed him by the neck and hoisted him into the air. The Nuru Noste moved away from him and Harry figured he was looking very intimidating at this moment.

If the Nuru Noste were scared of him it said nothing about the Rohirrim still in the room. Apart from Eowyn protecting her Uncle the others fled to the edges of the room as soon as their guards let them.

Harry strolled down the hall with confident steps and Grima dangling by his neck from his hand. His feet were almost two feet from the floor as he was dragged from the room with a red face as he choked. Harry blasted the door open with a wave of his hand sending the Rohirrim on the other side sprawling across the stone steps outside. Harry strided passed them as they crawled backwards across the stones to avoid his intimidating forms.

He flared his wings as he came out from under the roof and flapped them a couple of times sending spirals of dust floating up into the air. He had an audience already though they were hiding behind the corners of buildings and behind crates in the streets. Harry drew Grima in close and spoke in words that carried to almost every inch of Edoras making sure that Theoden could hear him.

"Grima the Black. Others would exile you for your crimes here." Harry released the man who fell to his knees on the steps gulping in air as fast as he could. He whimpered slightly. "I'm not most others." Harry looked away from the Wizard in contempt staring out into the North where he felt a presence he never thought he'd sense again. "Gandalf the White, that's a welcome surprise."

"What?" Grima choked trying to look up and catch Harry's eye to cast his special brand of magic to gain control of Harry. Harry met his eyes and instantly slammed his own mind into Grima who shuddered and collapsed again as he was beaten down.

"I would think that he would simply let you run home to your, now obsolete, master." Harry made a dismissive gesture with his hand and Grima didn't waste a moment before crawling down the steps as fast as he could with no thought given to the state of his arms and legs. As soon as he was more than five feet from Harry he ran full out across the town shoving the citizens aside.

Harry watched him run before slowly pulling his bow from behind him and fitting an arrow to the string. "My Lord, I thought you were going to exile him."

Harry glanced sideways at Kira with a small smile on his lips. "I said that others would choose that punishment but we have no such judgement in Dras Arget. Either you can reform and fit in or you die for this sort of crime." With that Harry released the arrow. It sped through the city.

Grima jerked around as he heard the distinct sound of a bow string but was too slow to prevent the arrow from driving straight through his throat. The force of the arrow slammed him backwards onto a wooden post normally used to tie horses to and the arrow imbedded itself. Grima struggled to pull himself off of the arrow but his blood drained onto the floor too fast for him to win the fight and the life faded from his eyes as blood escaped down his chin as he sagged.

Harry gazed through the City before flapping his wings a few times to raise himself onto the thatched roof of the Golden Hall. "People of Edoras, faithful citizens of Rohan. You are once again free of Saruman's subterfuge!" Harry's voice spread through the City once again and Harry knew he had all of their attention. "Your King is weak but he will recover and once again he, like his Ancestors, can seat himself in the Golden Throne of Rohan in the halls of Dras Arget. This is a day to celebrate the fall of the traitor, Grima the Black and welcome a new age free of traitors and darkness!"

He didn't expect cheers and he didn't get any but as he dropped himself back onto the stone floor he could easily here the whispers erupting throughout the City. A group was already gathering around Grima's body and as he re-entered the hall he noted that several Rohirrim were preventing anyone from taking the body down.

He strolled through the hall as the Nuru Noste bowed deeply as he passed. Harry glanced at the soldiers clustered around the King's throne once again armed and looking at the Nuru Noste with suspicious looks. "You released them?" Harry asked glancing at Kira who had entered before him after he had killed Grima.

"Yes, My Lord," She didn't seem unsure about her decision. "I didn't believe you would want them as our captives for any longer than necessary."

"Very good, Kira." Harry tilted his head forwards to show his agreement before walking towards the Rohirrim. He paused as they raised their swords against him. A grunt from their midst made them part slightly and Harry saw that Theoden was looking much healthier, his hair was returning to its rich brown colour and his face was smoothing from its wrinkled state. He was still looking rather pale however.

"What have you done with Grima?" The King asked him.

Harry gave the man a modest bow, not the kind he would give Galadriel or Elrond but still one of respect for the man's heritage and position. "He is dead."

"You do not have the power to dictate laws in my land, nor attack me in my own halls." Theoden rasped out.

"By the treaty signed by you own Ancestors at the Council of Morchaint, I have every right to deal with traitorous acts against any other member of the Council, yourself included." Harry told him seriously. "In fact to allow you to suffer under Saruman's spell would be a direct breach of the treaty."

"Saruman's spell made me no better than a dog." Theoden grumbled as he forced himself up to his feet.

"But the fact that you survived showed the power of your will." Harry told him. He bowed again. "Greetings, King Theoden, I am Lord Corvil, leader of the Nuuruhuine and Lord over Morchaint. I regret the circumstances of our meeting but hopefully the next time I see you we will have the time to speak."

"You do not wish to stay, Lord Corvil?" Theoden asked.

"By your leave I shall leave the Nuru Noste at your disposal." Harry gestured to the sides and folded his loose wings behind his back so that the King could focus his tired eyes on the men and women in Rohirrim gear that were Harry's former spies. "I have other matters to deal with."

"I would hear the dealings in the world." Theoden spoke.

"I believe the answer to that is on its way. You have visitors one their way, they will arrive in the morning." Harry told the King. "If you would take my advice then take your rest for the remainder of the night. I was forced to take some of your blood to sever the spell and you are still weak."

The King sighed but nodded in agreement. "Lord Corvil, it will be an honour to sit in the Golden Throne once again as my ancestors did."

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	16. The Hornburg

The Nuuruhuine

Chapter 16; The Hornburg

****

Edoras

Aragorn stared at the tall flag poles above the gates to Edoras, the city of the Rohirrim in surprise. The horse imprinted on a green field, the flag of Edoras, flew freely from the left one but where he expected to see the same thing on the other he was greeted by an unknown flag.

"What land is that of?" He asked Gandalf who rode beside him. Legolas and Gimli shared the second horse even though another, the Morchaint horse, followed without a tether behind them since Gimli couldn't be expected to stay on the horse without Legolas to grip onto.

"That is the flag of Morchaint." Legolas spoke quietly in his own way of expressing surprise. He obviously hadn't bothered to notice it from further away.

"Perhaps my task here is already complete." Gandalf muttered before spurring his horse forwards with more urgency. They rode through the gate and were met by a couple of guards. "We are here to see the King of Rohan."

"And he is waiting for you Master Wizard." The guard bowed slightly and it wasn't until he straightened that Aragorn noticed that he was wearing different armour than the others. He had a black leather chest plate under a black and silver cloak and his sword was not one that he had ever seen on any member of the Rohirrim. The bow behind his back was also almost as decorative as Legolas' though Aragorn would wager that it wasn't handled with nearly as much skill.

"What land do you hail from, if it is not Rohan?" Aragorn asked.

"The King awaits you, my Lords." The man repeated with a bow at Aragorn. "I am here to escort you to him."

They dismounted from the horses without mentioning the man's blatant disregard to answering their queries and as they moved to follow him Aragorn loosened the catch on his broadsword and nodded to Gandalf who had moved his staff into a position in case this was a trap. Legolas and Gimli made similar motions and they shared a look of resignation.

They followed the man up into the Golden Hall and into the Great Hall where King Theoden sat in his chair at the end. The King stood as soon as he saw the group following the guard in black and silver and Aragorn glanced around the hall at the guards. Half were wearing the normal green and red of the Rohirrim whilst around ten wore the same as the guard that had led them there. Two of which stood behind the King now with swords in their hands and a wary look on their faces. It wasn't until Aragorn was half way down the hall before he realised that the guard just behind Theoden's left shoulder was in fact a woman and one that held herself in such a way that nobody could doubt her fighting skills.

"King Theoden." Gandalf began. "Your audience has changed since last I was here."

"So it has Gandalf the Grey." The King told him and Aragorn was reminded that the Wizard in their party was wearing a dull robe to cover his white ones. "Though you need not fear them. It seems that these few have been protecting me from afar for a long time now."

"For how long?" Aragorn narrowed his eyes at the woman opposite him.

She stepped forwards. "Since just after the Council of Rivendell." She told them before flashing her teeth, her elongated canines among them. Gimli swore and fiddled with the handle of his axe.

"Do not draw your weapons in here, Master Dwarf." A voice whispered next Gimli making Aragorn jump around in surprise along with the dwarf. The other personal guard had crossed the gap and only Legolas had been fast enough to see it. "Enough pain has been suffered in this hall and we wish for no more."

"They are here by my invitation." Theoden spoke up and the male Vampire backed away with a grin and stood behind the King again.

"I had expected the situation here to be dire not anything like this." Gandalf spoke as he stepped forwards to study the King of men before him.

"And if you had arrived before last night you would have met a dire sight indeed. For in the dark hours of the night these Vampires and men came to me along with their leige, the one of treaties of old, and freed me from Grima Wormtongue and his traitorous master, Saruman." The King told them. "Never before had I dared believe that the stories we were told of young were true. About winged demons with the power to destroy armies yet this one of old could only be just that."

"You met Harry Corvil then?" Gandalf sighed in relief.

"Indeed I did." The King nodded. "And a rather intriguing meeting it was too." Aragorn watched in part awe and part fascination as the King drew down his high collar and showed them two small pricks in his neck that could only be from one thing.

"He drank from you?" Aragorn asked shocked.

"Only to free the King from Saruman's magic, it was the quickest and safest way to ensure complete and permanent freedom for the King." The woman spoke up.

"I apologise, I am not being the host I should be." The King glanced to his right. "Food and Ale for our guests!" Two men scurried out of a side door. "May I introduce to you, Mistress Kira second in command of the Nuru Noste and you see around you half of that body."

"You were the spies that Harry mentioned sending to Rohan to protect the King?" Aragorn asked as he relaxed.

"Harry has been busy in my absence." Gandalf chuckled.

"Mithrandir." Kira stepped forwards and bowed though she did it at an angle so as not to turn her back on the King of Rohan. "My Liege, Lord Corvil bade me pass on a message to you when you arrived. 'Little goes beyond my notice yet your passage through the caverns of the beyond were overlooked by me. Your appearance is well appreciated to even us of immortal origin yet you have little time. My vision is vast and your current stand is weak. The Third Void will soon be filled by the enemies we strive against and if you stand on this pedestal you will be knocked from it without warning. Look for shelter and search at the base for those close and my own and look on the fifth advent for more. Think fast and dig deep."

Kira gave them a toothy grin that bared her fangs as she stepped back. Gandalf begun chuckling lightly but it was only at the wording and not the message itself. "You cannot tell me that that made sense to you." The King told him. "I heard him give that message yesterday and yet I still cannot wean anything from it."

"I have known Lord Corvil for many years and his humour I am afraid takes a long time to get used to. In this case I believed he wish for me to hear the news first so that I could decide what to do before others heard it." Gandalf told them all before looking at Kira. "Did he tell you what he meant?"

"Indeed, he did. The Nuru Noste's preparations are complete, we are temporarily under the control of the King of Rohan until the fifth advent." Kira told him with a small nod.

"The news is most troubling." Gandalf sighed. "Part of it I will not divulge since it is personal to myself but most of it is in direct reference to your own lands. 'Your current stand is weak' is the fact that Edoras is in danger as the enemy will move against Rohan first."

"The Third Void?" Aragorn guessed.

"Indeed. Lord Corvil refers to Four Voids, spaces in the mountains that the enemy must cross in order to reach and control the west. The First is the northern wastes, the second is the Gap of Domia both under Morchaint rule. The third void is the gap of Rohan and the fourth void is Gondor." Gandalf told them before continuing. "Being knocked down from our pedestal is obviously his belief that if we stay here then we will be destroyed with little warning of attack. Seeking shelter is obviously a better fortified position. Searching for those close and my own must mean allies amongst the Rohirrim."

"Lord Eomer and his troops exiled by the King's orders." Kira added helpfully and they all respectfully ignored the groan from the King. "And the remainder of the Nuru Noste and the Fifth company."

"Fifth company?" Theoden frowned.

"Two human horse born humans dispatched by Lord Corvil from Rivendell to aid your exiled troops in maintaining order during your incapacitation, King Theoden." Kira told him.

"We met them both chasing Uruk-hai across the plains." Aragorn put in helpfully though it only seemed to confuse the King more. "What did he mean by look on the fifth advent for more."

"He must be bringing more to defend us on the fifth morning after the message which is five days from now." Gandalf frowned.

"That is correct." Kira nodded. "He urges for haste."

"We cannot so blindly flee from this city on one man's word however." Theoden suddenly pointed out.

"You have seen that he is not simply a man." Kira spoke sharply yet held her respectful tone.

"One day will not effect us so greatly." Theoden argued.

"One day?" Aragorn asked. "Why must we wait?"

"The traitor Grima burned at dawn this morning." Theoden told them gruffly. "I wish to see my own son buried yet it will not be while Grima's stench still lingers in the air."

"Lord Corvil executed Grima the Black." Kira put in helpfully at their confused look. "Shot him from across the city as the traitor fled and pinned him by the neck to a horse pole."

"A fine shot if the rumours are true. It is a pity that I missed it." The King sighed. "But now, let us eat our fill before we even begin to discuss what we must."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Rivendell

Harry stood beside Archie as they looked over the troops slowly trotting out from the edge of Trollshaw on their way south to the Gap of Rohan. It would take them the five allotted days to reach the Hornburg in time at a fast pace but he had faith that they would do it.

"I have already ordered Annette to direct Lord Eomer to the Hornburg so he should be there along with his men before the attack but even their numbers cannot withhold the numbers that I saw." Harry sighed. "Fully ten thousand Uruk-hai created by Saruman himself and then the largest Undead Army that we have witnessed in a thousand years approaches from the East for Edoras. If Mithrandir does not heed my warning and leave by the morning then they will not reach the Hornburg in time."

"I have not been able to see this army." Archie frowned.

"Do you doubt my eyes, my little Archie?" Harry laughed knowing that wasn't the reason for the frown.

"You know that I do not. But a twenty thousand strong army of undead passing through Mirkwood without the Nuuruhuine's notice worries me greatly." Archie admitted.

"As it does me." Harry sighed. "And when Nacraemeus attacked the fellowship at the gate to Moria."

"He has grown greatly." Archie sighed. "With the help of Vampires."

"I fear you are right though I don't know what he has done to himself to gain that much power in five hundred years." Harry sighed. "There is nothing we can do until Sauron is defeated."

"Except fend off his attacks as he tests for weaknesses." Archie put in.

"Send a message to the Dwarves to meet me in Dras Arget in fourteen days time." Harry ordered though it was really a request. Archie could have somebody in Dras Arget send the message. "Make sure a member of the Nuuruhuine delivers it in person."

Harry spun as the last of the two thousand strong second battalion minus their three hundred Lamia left the shadows of the forest and slowly the whole two mile long column sped to a fast run. The Lamia would fly out with Harry and Archie and the two remaining members of the Nuuruhuine would remain here. All except for Crysta who was heading there from Dras Arget.

He found Elrond in a nearby tower watching the army move across the plains. "And it has begun." Harry spoke softly as he approached him.

"So it has. Yet there is little the elves can do against so many undead except guard our own homes." Elrond sighed. "I fear I should be sending my own army south to Rohan."

"A few hundred more will make little difference. Lothlorien have already pledged their troops." Harry told him. "If you wish to send them somewhere then send them to Mirkwood to meet up with the rest of my second army and help the Mirkwood Elves fend off the attacks."

"You are right in that. I will speak to the rest of my council." Elrond sighed.

"I have one last request of you before I leave you in peace." Harry spoke confidently.

"What is it?" Elrond asked.

"Re-forge the Sword of Kings." Harry told him simply and ignored the frown that spread over the Elf Lord's face. "The Gondorians are weak, they need a symbol to follow and a Ranger from the north may not be a strong enough one on his own but if you gift them with their legendary sword wielded by the hands of a Master then they will fight like no other force on earth. You can spur an army with either fear or hope, I prefer the latter over the former."

Harry left Elrond to his thoughts as he headed to a set of rooms to have a bit of peace and quiet for the first time since waking. He had plenty to fill his next two days.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Two days later

Harry stood on the highest tower of Rivendell with Crysta at his side and smiled at Elrond who stood beside him staring at the setting sun. Below him three hundred Lamias prepared to fly into the darkness and to war.

"The Sword of Kings will be re-forged." Elrond told him simply. "And my army is to travel to Mirkwood to help hold back the undead there."

"Thank you Lord Elrond." Harry told him with a small smile using the term Lord for the first time in a long while.

"I will gift the sword only into your hands once it is complete though." Elrond told him.

"I will return this way in fourteen days to meet with the Dwarves and I will visit again. You can always contact me with Archie though." Harry sighed before stretching out an arm.

Elrond took it and they clasped hands in a friendly manner. "Good Luck." Instead of being blasé about the well wishing Harry just accepted it with a small nod before leaping up onto the banister. There was a flurry of wings as he and the numerous Lamia below him stretched their wings and soon the air above Rivendell was alive with enough wing beats to deaden the wind coming from the setting sun in the west.

Harry flew off amongst the others and turned for the southern mountains to follow them all the way to the Hornburg.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

The Hornburg

For thousands of years the Hornburg had sat in the shadow of the mountains surrounded by rock except for a single side. The Gondorians had built it when Rohan was still a part of their own country and it was designed to protect their northern borders from Morchaint though it had been ineffectual and the cave network that led in through the back was proof of the Vampires' ingenuity and skill. After a ten day siege the fortress had been flooded from the inside with hundreds of Vampires and all those that didn't surrender were killed instantly and without remorse. Stories like those were passed on through the Rohirrim and the Hornburg had won itself the reputation as being impregnable to even Morchaint since they had taken a different route.

Anyone with sense would simply realise that Morchaint had simply gone with their strength to save lives and end the siege as fast as possible. Over the last week people had flocked into the Hornburg from all around and now there were a few hundred villagers filling the castle's store rooms and caves with everything they had. Now though they stood on the walls staring out at the approaching column of Rohirrim headed by the King's banner itself. The castle's garrison welcomed the men and women warmly as they filed in but instantly noticed the wounded and tired among them and the signs of a recent battle.

The group had run into a group of several dozen warg riders and after being surprised had lost many soldiers to the ambush. They had come out victorious however but their moral was low and as they settled in the King could wish only for good news. This happened a day later when Aragorn staggered through the doors after being presumed dead after going over a cliff. Many of those that had travelled with them cheered up slightly at that point but it was obvious that even within the walls of the Hornburg they were weak and ill prepared for war. The majority of the trained army were farmers and villagers and lived in the country and without proper time there was no chance to summon them in time. They had to hope that help would find them. In that Gandalf told them to have faith.

When a strange horn sung through the air people had panicked but when Legolas cheered and ran to the castle walls with a smile on his face the others followed at a run. So it was that the King of Rohan, Gandalf the White, Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas stood upon the walls of the Hornburg as they greeted a column of three hundred Elven warriors worth three times that number in human terms. Their leader, Haldir, met them at the top of the wall with a formal bow to the King of Rohan.

"I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. An alliance once existed between our races. Long ago we fought and died together." Haldir smiled. "Myself of Rivendell and these Elves from Lothlorien are here to honour that allegiance."

"Where are Rivendell's armies?" Aragorn frowned though it wasn't accusatory.

"I was in Lothlorien and offered to accompany these here but Rivendell must answer the call to Mirkwood in defending their home." Haldir turned to Legolas with a small smile. "I would not fear though, the Morchaint armies are doing all they can."

"I fear that our allies were the only ones ready for this war." Aragorn sighed.

"Nobody can be ready for a war of this type." Haldir assured them. Legolas gazed out at the valley before tensing. Haldir followed his gaze before calling out in Elvish. The troops below flooded onto the walls and were followed by the humans.

"What is it, Legolas?" Aragorn asked.

"A small army approaches. Approximately five hundred on horseback, they travel fast and with confidence but they fly no pennant." Legolas told them.

"Our allies from close?" Aragorn muttered but Gandalf heard him.

"Kira said that Lord Corvil would call for them but I did not expect them to arrive before the battle." Gandalf admitted. They waited in silence for a time and the group drew closer and closer. They were riding five across and one hundred deep and they maintained their order with a precision that no Orc would bother with. A horn echoed as soon as they entered the valley and smile spread across their faces as they recognised the low sound of the Rohirrim's horns.

"They are indeed Rohirrim though not all of them." Legolas said. "Others wear black armour and cloaks."

Nobody managed to comment before another horn sounded but this one didn't echo so much as rent the air making the elves on the walls cringe slightly. They all jumped around as an identical horn sounded from the Keep's walls. "The Nuru Noste and the fifth company." Aragorn sighed in relief.

"Open the gates!" Theoden ordered in a voice that carried across the whole area. The riders didn't even pause before thundering up the entrance ramp and into the castle and it wasn't until the door was closed behind them that they relaxed enough for three of them to walk up to the wall directed by a human messenger.

"My nephew!" Theoden sighed before hugging the man to him irrespective to the fact he was royalty and on public display. "How I have wronged you and your men."

"There is no need, Uncle." Eomer assured him. "The matter has been explained to be by Annette."

"King Theoden." The woman spoke firmly even as the King focused on the human Captain not being used to women in an army. "My name is Annette, leader of the Nuru Noste. I am glad to see you once again under your own devices."

"Kira has spoken to me of you. You have my thanks." Theoden nodded.

"This is Captain Atta of the Fifth Company, second battalion, second army of Morchaint. He leads the two hundred human riders that have accompanied us this far." Annette introduced the silent Captain who didn't look to be one for pleasantries.

"Your arrival is timely." Aragorn told her.

"Yet we almost did not make it." Eomer spoke again.

"What do you mean?" Gandalf stepped up.

"An army of undead has followed us from Edoras and beyond. They followed us almost to here but then broke off to meet up with another army of Uruk-hai." Annette told him.

"What of their numbers?" Haldir asked.

"The Uruk-hai number in the region of ten thousand." Annette sighed as she spoke and their was a chorus of gasps except for the Elves and Gandalf who controlled themselves. "But the undead must be our main concern, with them the army before us now numbers closer to thirty thousand."

"Twenty thousand undead!" Haldir actually gasped out.

"Lord Corvil did not know of this when the message was left for you but he was putting together plans to aid us when he contacted me." Annette told them before falling silent. "We must hope for a miracle."

"We may be hoping in vain." Gimli muttered.

"Have confidence in Harry." Gandalf told them sternly. "Morchaint has never lost and they won't start now." Annette smiled at his words before spinning and whistling loudly. All of the Morchaint troops began to dismount and sort out their gear.

Annette turned back to the King. "Either way the enemy will be here at nightfall. I'm ordering ten of my Vampires to act as your bodyguards. Do not try to avoid them because you will fail."

"I don't need bodyguards." Theoden argued.

"Listen to her, Theoden." Gandalf sighed knowing that she was following orders from Harry and that nothing would stop her from carrying them out.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Fifth Advent

Harry gazed down at the army of humans and Vampire below him, the two thousand strong group had a lot of work cut out for them and they knew it but the sight of the three hundred Lamias overhead gave them the confidence needed. They were standing on the peak of a hill that looked down the valley to the Hornburg and the sight between them and their destination was one that turned even Harry's stomach though probably not as violently as the others. Twenty thousand undead and around two thousand Uruk-hai filled the valley. The Uruk-hai seemed to have spent themselves against the castle but now a huge hole in the side wall and a battered gate meant that the battle had been brought out onto the valley floor rather than against the castle's walls.

The fifth company rode with the three hundred or so Rohirrim as they tried to kill the Uruk-hai and they were succeeding apart from the ones on the castle walls. Harry decided that one last show of power on his behalf would be welcomed by the soldiers outnumbered ten to one below him, he opened his mind to all of them and spoke quietly and broadly so as not to effect any of them.

"The Lamia will fly over first and do what damage we can before we fortify the castle. You will ride in as soon as the first fires are lit and the undead start to scream. Look for their necromancers and kill them at all costs. Use your advantages and don't let them use theirs. You are soldiers of Morchaint and we have yet to lose a battle and I don't plan on starting now!"

None of them cheered, they knew not to or they'd alert their enemies. Harry directed his mind at the Lamias. "Horns as we approach, let's give them something to worry about." With that Harry beat his wings to gain altitude and his form began to ripple. "Crysta, burn the suckers and stay out here while I deal with the castle. Keep a hundred with you to help pick off the necromancers."

She rolled over in the air to agree with him and he laughed at her antics even as he changed. He grew to a hundred times his size and suddenly a massive golden beast filled half the valley entrance. He flapped his wings once and the early sun that had just hit the castle walls was blotted out by his wings and by the gathering clouds. He threw himself forwards at a slow pace so that the Lamia could keep up and they flew in to the battle.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

The Hornburg

The sun hit the castle and they all felt warmed. Aragorn couldn't help but look around him. It was the fifth dawn since they had received Harry's warning and yet there was no sign of him. Aragorn sighed before swinging his sword at an Orc that was trying to scale the wall.

Suddenly the warmth of the sun vanished as clouds covered the sky but what had actually blocked out the sun was a beast larger than anything Aragorn had ever imagined with it's wings across the sun's light.

No fewer than a hundred horns rent the air and for an instant they all recognised the Morchaint horns before the screams of the undead overwhelmed it.

"Now you see the reason for the horns of Morchaint and their awful cry." Gandalf yelled form his side. More horns ripped through the air from above them and suddenly from the riders on the ground and before they new it fire was bursting into life within the undead massive forces so far untouched by the defenders.

"Retreat to the castle!" The voice of Annette yelled from below them on the valley floor and the cry was taken up by all of the Morchaint Riders and then by Eomer and his fighters. Lightning flashed out of the sky just as the Riders cleared the Uruk-hai and no fewer than fifty of the attackers were killed in an instant as the thunder shook the castle.

A shadow loomed over them before hovering to deliver another bolt that sent the Uruk-hai running to the undead masses for shelter though the fire was still spreading among them. Two hundred smaller shadows began to fall on them and it wasn't until they were landing amongst then and massacring the shocked Uruk-hai within the walls that Aragorn realised that they were winged Vampires like Harry.

Haldir grinned at him happily and Aragorn was about to smile in return when an Uruk-hai appeared behind his old friend and raised his sword. Aragorn cried out in shock but it was cut off when the huge golden beast landed on, and splintered, the castle battlements to Haldir's side and lashed forwards with its huge beak and snapped the Uruk-hai in two before chucking the pieces down into the masses of Uruk-hai below them. Haldir who had stumbled and fallen when the beast had appeared crawled out from under it and to Aragorn.

"What is that?" Aragorn asked.

"The legendary beast that levelled Minis Tirith. Supposedly under the control of Morchaint." Gandalf laughed before turning his back on the beast and continuing to help the almost finished task of securing the castle.

The thunder of horses, far more than their own army had, reached Aragorn ears and with no enemies around him he turned to look over the battle.

The twenty thousand strong army of undead and ten thousand strong army of Uruk-hai were now a fifteen thousand strong army of undead and an army of a few hundred Uruk-hai but the sight that truly amazed him was the thick line of riders pouring down into the valley from the far end. They all wore the black and silver of Morchaint and just as they struck the first row of undead the fires raging amongst the undead shimmered and shifted to sweep the length of the army and started systematically killing everything that it touched. A hundred of so Lamia flew above their heads but they didn't do much more than fly in circles. They were waiting for something or somebody to appear.

"They wait for the Necromancers to appear." Gandalf told him from his shoulder. The castle stood in silence behind him but the screams and sounds of battle in front were tremendous. Aragorn glanced down to the torn wall and saw the riders remounting ready to strike at the back of the army. For the first time that night and day Aragorn actually believed they could win. Aragorn searched around him for the golden beast of legend and found it sitting with flared wings on the far right of the battle. It opened it's mouth and its screech almost had him on his knees.

"Why is it waiting?" Aragorn asked having inadvertently asked the same question twice.

"The undead are extremely hard to kill, they do not fall under normal attacks. Fire burns them best but swords only maim them. Hands try to strangle you and feet try to trip you. The only way to kill them is to attack one enough times or find the source of their power." Gandalf explained to him. "Harry has used this strategy many times. He attacks with a large force and waits for the Necromancers to show themselves. Each Necromancer holds power over a number of undead, the more power the necromancer the more undead he can raise. The Lamia will attack when the necromancers show themselves but otherwise they simply wait."

"What do you mean the Necromancer's show themselves? Where are they?" Aragorn asked.

"They are there, hidden under the guise of the undead and their own tricks and spells." Gandalf told him just as a horn rang out from below them and the large horn on the Hornburg rang out. The five hundred riders below them rode out to ambush the back of the undead army. "There!"

Aragorn had already seen it, a purple beam of light that crackled enough for them to hear it, it lanced towards the flying Lamia but they dodged easily and just as Aragorn was about to ask what it was another flew up from another area. The Lamia began to scatter but they lowered towards the ground at the same time and soon they were diving in and out of the army picking up and killing the Necromancers who had betrayed their whereabouts.

The golden beast tipped off of the side of the cliff and glided down to land in the middle of the battle and a wave of lightning flew from it killing almost five hundred of the undead as their bodies were completely obliterated. It had obviously seen something from up above the battle since it jumped forwards and lashed out with it's beak and grabbed one of the undead up. It threw it into the air and with another screech a bolt of lightning smashed out of the sky and struck it.

Instantly the effect was instantaneous as almost a thousand of the ten thousand remaining undead collapsed to the floor and began to rot. "That was a powerful Necromancer." Gandalf told Aragorn helpfully. "The Thunderbird must have seen it amongst the hidden Necromancers. Oh dear."

"What?" Aragorn was getting irritated. The battle was so complicated and new to him that he didn't know what was next on the list for Gandalf to amaze himself over.

"Behind the battle." Gandalf pointed passed the flying Lamia, passed the riders and to the valley entrance were a thick forest of trees had shut off the entrance. "Harry knows." Gandalf frowned.

"What do you mean he knows?" Aragorn asked as if Gandalf had gone insane.

"He can talk telepathically." Gandalf explained as if it were obvious.

"I've seen him gaze off and then tell me things he found out from others." Aragorn told the old Wizard.

"He can talk to anyone on Middle-Earth though the Nuuruhuine are the only ones that can accept the call without suffering major headaches, accept perhaps myself, Galadriel and Elrond though only for short times." Gandalf sighed. "The Vampires are trapped here until Fangorn forest recedes."

"Why is Fangorn forest here in the first place?" Aragorn frowned.

"Because Saruman angered it." Gandalf told the Dunedain seriously. "The battle is drawing to a close."

It was true, the Morchaint Riders had broken clean through the army and now massed below the castle but instead of charging again with the addition of the Rohirrim and the fifth company that it had collected on the way through it paused and waited. The Lamia gained altitude and the thousand or so remaining undead seemed to pause even as the remaining hundred Uruk-hai fled towards the trees.

The golden beast flew low over the undead and the storm clouds over head burst into action as the loudest thunder clap that Aragorn had ever heard shook him to the bone and a blast of lightning struck the Thunder Bird's back before it exploded outwards in a ball that wiped out all of the Undead on the ground. The Lamia glided towards the ground even as the two hundred Lamia that had been standing on the walls of the Castle stayed where they were keeping an eye on the humans in the castle as if they were about to sprout undead limbs and attack.

"I feel like a hostage." Aragorn muttered but Gandalf heard anyway.

"We are of a sort. Harry will hold this place until he feels certain that the Rohirrim are strong enough to fend for themselves." Gandalf sighed. "He has a strange and decisive way of doing things but it keeps Middle-Earth from being overrun."

Aragon glanced behind him as he heard approaching feet and saw Annette, Kira, two human Nuru Noste that he recognised as well as Captain Atta. Following them was King Theoden and two of his men. Legolas and Gimli came in from the other direction with Haldir on their tail.

He turned back to the valley and saw that the Thunderbird had settled on the ground and was watching as the Lamia flew over the wreckage looking for anything living. Occasionally one flew back up with a human in his arms and towards where the Riders had settled and it was obvious that they were looking for survivors of either country. Areas of the battle field began to go up in flames as whole areas of undead were set alight.

The Thunder Bird suddenly shifted its gaze and flared its wings and flapped them lightly as it flew for the castle. It landed on the edge of the battlements and Aragorn stopped himself from cowering. It gazed at them all before folding its wings and stepping down onto the walkway. They all backed away except for Gandalf, Kira, Annette and Captain Atta but instead of the golden beast in front of them was Harry Corvil with his mythril armour and black and silver clothing.

"Hello again my friends." Harry told them with an amused smile. "It seems we arrived just at the right time."

Aragorn had never been more shocked before in his life.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	17. Wizards and Hobbits

The Nuuruhuine

Chapter 17; Wizards and Hobbits

****

Helm's Deep

"My Lord, the final figures have been tallied up." Captain Atta knelt a few metres from Harry's form before Harry gestured for him to stand. The Nuuruhuine allowed respectful reverence but not blind posturing from their citizens. "Six Lamia, two hundred and eighteen Vampires and Humans."

"And our allies?" Harry glanced at Crysta as she spoke from her position standing at his side as his equal.

"The Elves lost twenty five and the Rohirrim lost a total of one hundred and twenty eight including their civilians." Atta told him. "Combined we have over four hundred wounded though are healers are working through them quickly."

"Thank you, Captain Atta." Harry dismissed the man as expected and found himself alone in the room except for Crysta and two of the Vampires from the Nuru Noste who had become his personal guard and even though it was an unnecessary gesture, it was expected. "I think it is time we visit the King and give him back his Fortress."

"What did he think about that?" Crysta asked him.

Harry grinned at the memory of his appearance from the Thunderbird and the shocked looks on all of their faces and then the outrage when Harry announced that Helm's Deep was under his control until further notice. "Outrage, disgust, the normal human emotions to logic." Harry admitted. "Though he will now understand why I did it."

"It allowed him to focus on his own people." Crysta agreed without guilt. There had been discussions between all of the citizens of Morchaint fifteen hundred years ago about conquering all of the lands west of Mordor so that it was a unified front. They could have done it but it wouldn't have pleased the Elves and Harry didn't really want to control that amount of land.

"Shall we go?" Harry asked before leaving the room. He pulled his cloak together at the front and clipped it together. The deep black colour screamed of magic in its perfect condition and rich colour. They walked slowly through the halls of the Hornburg returning the salutes of the Morchaint guards as they passed them. They were announced as they walked into the Great Hall by one of the Rohirrim servants and the King and his guests, the Fellowship and Gandalf stood from where they had been talking together around a table. The King's niece and nephew also stood to the side of the hall where they had been talking together and a small group of Lothlorien Elves were grouped at another table along with Haldir, the Rivendell Elf.

The room was surrounded with at least twenty Human and Vampire Soldiers of Harry's army as well as two Lamia with their wings out for all to see. Harry turned to the two Lamia as he reached the desk and made a dismissive gesture and a click of his fingers. They took the hint and waved to the rest of the guards before they all left the room with sharp salutes at the two Nuuruhuine.

Harry turned back to the assembled humans and Elves and bowed to King Theoden, Aragorn and Gandalf in turn. They were his equals after all. "King Theoden, Helm's Deep is once again under your control. My army will be out of your hair as soon as our own wounded are taken care of."

The King stepped around the others and returned Harry's bow, much calmer now then he had been when Gandalf had pointed out to him that he was no longer in control of his own Keep. "With our gratitude." Theoden smiled at him before offering his hand. Harry grasped the Human's wrist and nodded with his own toothy smile. "What of your own casualties?"

"Two hundred and twenty four fatalities in total, a few hundred injured who will pull through." Harry told him. "A small price to pay against such an army as that."

"The Undead were just as shocked by your arrival as we were by theirs." Gandalf came up to the King's side with Aragorn beside him.

"What are your plans now?" Aragorn asked him.

"My Human and Lamia armies will accompany the Elves back to Lothlorien and then onto Mirkwood to aid them against the Undead. I'm afraid that the Vampires in my army will have to remain here as your guests, King Theoden." Harry admitted with a sigh.

"What do you mean?" The King asked though he obviously didn't have a problem with it.

"As long as Fangorn remains across the entrance to Helm's Deep no Vampire or Lamia can leave on foot and the Vampires cannot fly." Harry told him.

"We intend to travel to Orthanc at daybreak." Gandalf told him. "To deal with the traitorous Wizard that dwells there."

"I will accompany you then." Harry nodded. "Crysta will remain here until all of my men have left and then join you with the Nuru Noste in Edoras if you would permit their continued aid."

"I would be grateful to you." Theoden admitted with a nod.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The next morning Harry flew high over the encroaching forest that had spread from Fangorn to Helm's Deep while the Fellowship, King Theoden along with one of Morchaint's horses slipped through the forest uncontested. Harry joined them on the planes for the three hour gallop to Orthanc though they'd undoubtedly go at a slower pace. Harry chatted amiably with Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli as they journeyed across the low hills feeling glad that he could catch up with his old friends again. He told Legolas news from Mirkwood and Gimli about his messages to the Lonely Mountain to renew the Morchaint-Dwarven Alliance and that as soon as he was done in Orthanc he would be travelling North to Rivendell and from there to the Lonely Mountain to formalise it once more.

The arrived at the rather beaten Orthanc in good time and Harry couldn't help but laugh at the state of the place. Harry had already discovered from the other Nuuruhuine that the Ents had destroyed what remained of Saruman's army. The outer wall was destroyed in a score of places and the grounds, now treeless, were completely flooded with rising smoke from fires. What caught their eyes though was the two small Hobbits sitting on the ruined wall smoking pipes and eating dried meat.

Harry started chuckling as Gimli started grumbling under his breath about Hobbits. "Welcome, My Lords. To Isengard!" Merry leapt to his feet and wavered slightly.

"You young rascals!" Gimli yelled back from his seat in front of Legolas. Harry leaned forwards over his own horses neck in amusement. "A merry hunt you've lead us on, and now we find you feasting…and smoking!"

"We are sitting on a field of victory, enjoying a few well deserved comforts!" Pippin announced. "The salted pork is particularly good."

"Salted pork?" Gimli changed tact instantly with a greedy look on his face.

"Hobbits!" Gandalf complained and Harry snorted in amusement.

"We're under orders!" Merry defended. "From Treebeard who has taken over management of Isengard."

Gandalf lead the way in with King Theoden beside him. Harry, Aragorn and Legolas, with Gimli as a passenger, followed them and paused at the wall just before passing under the two Hobbits. Harry looked up at them and smiled a fanged grin. "Get down here you two before I come up there and get you myself." Harry told them and they hastened to obey. Merry clambered up in front of Aragorn and Harry reached down and hoisted Pippin up in front of himself.

They followed Gandalf and the King into Isengard and instantly saw that a large leafless tree was heading towards them. Harry tensed up and his hand pulled out one of his swords and laid it across Pippins lap so it was within easy reach. Pippin gave him a strange look but realised that Harry was watching the Ent carefully. Harry leaned down to whisper in his ear. "The Ents have killed every one of my kind that they have come across over the years. He won't welcome me here."

The Ent, presumably Treebeard, or Fangorn himself, came to a stop and looked over the ground. He growled low in his throat as soon as he saw Harry and instinctively Harry's wings expanded from his back and arched over both himself and Pippin shielding them both easily. Treebeard growled again but Gandalf came to the rescue before Harry could speak up.

"He is not Undead, Fangorn, nor is he your enemy!" Gandalf spoke up with an authorities tone.

"He smells the same to me." Fangorn growled out.

Harry hissed as his wings expanded outwards threateningly. "Enough, Lord Corvill. Fangorn, he will do nothing to harm you, nor has any of his men." Gandalf turned first to Harry and then to the Ent. Harry narrowed his eyes but didn't relax until Fangorn had stepped back and turned his attention to Gandalf purposely ignoring Harry who simply collapsed his wings into his back and brought an arm around Pippin who leaned back into him.

Gandalf chatted to Fangorn for a few minutes as Aragorn and Legolas pulled their horses along side Harry's in mutual support. Harry smiled at them gratefully before following Gandalf and Theoden towards Orthanc as the Ent walked off. Harry glanced around him and saw that all of the Ents within view were watching their group, or more importantly, him.

"Be careful." Gandalf turned to Aragorn who was muttering under his breath about cowards hiding in the tower. "Even in defeat Saruman is dangerous." Harry spurred his horse forwards to bring himself along side Gandalf as he too rode forwards away from the group.

"Well, let's just have his head and be done with it." Gimli suggested loudly.

"No." Gandalf said simply.

Harry half turned to look at the others. "We need him to talk, to tell us what he knows of Sauron's plan."

"You have fought many wars and slain many men, Theoden King, and made peace afterwards." Saruman's voice echoed down from the precipice of the tower, the magic enhancing plinth. "Can we not take counsel together as we once did, my old friend? Can we not have peace, you and I?"

"We shall have peace. We shall have peace when you answer for the burning of the Westfold, and the children that lie dead there!" Theoden yelled back. "We shall have peace when the lives of the soldiers whose bodies were hewn even as they lay dead against the gates of the Hornburg are avenged! When you hang from a gibbet for the sport of your own crows we shall have peace."

Harry raised his eyebrows at the man with a small smirk on his face before looking up at the top of the tower where his eyes could clearly make out the man in his dirty white robes. "Gibbets and crows? Dotard! What do you want, Gandalf Greyhame? Let me guess. They Key of Orthanc. Or perhaps the Keys of Barad-dur itself, along with the crowns of the seven kings and the rods of the Five Wizards!" Saruman called down at the White Wizard before seeing Harry and the Lamia could clearly make out the fury that spread across his features. "Lord of the Bloodplains! What is it that you want? Rohan and Gondor in your pocket to feed your army as it marches across Middle-Earth!"

"I would not need you to do that." Harry almost laughed at the Wizard but Gandalf spoke up before Harry could antagonise him further.

"Your treachery has already cost many lives. Thousands are now at risk. But you could save them, Saruman. You were deep in the enemy's counsel." Gandalf called up.

"So you have come here for information. I have some for you." Harry hissed as Saruman pulled out one of the Palantir seeing stones. "Something festers in the heart of Middle-Earth. Something that you have failed to see. But the Great Eye has seen it. Even now he presses his advantage. His attack will come soon. You're all going to die. But you know this, don't you, Gandalf? You cannot think that this Ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor. This exile, crept from the shadows will never be crowned king. Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those closest to him, those he professes to love. Tell me, what words of comfort did you give the Halfling, before you sent him to his doom? The path that you have set him on can only lead to death."

"I've heard enough!" Gimli snapped before looking at Legolas behind him. "Shoot him, stick an arrow in his gob!"

"No." Gandalf turned on Legolas before he could fire. "Come down, Saruman, and your life will be spared!"

"Save your pity and your mercy!" Saruman snapped. "I have no use for it!"

Harry and Gandalf were moving before Saruman could cast his spell. The Wizard summoned a bolt of fire and it flew down. Harry snapped his wings around himself, Pippin and the horse like the canopy of a tent just as the fire bolt struck him. It swirled around them for a few seconds but wasn't powerful enough to damage him when faced with Harry's own immortality and magic. Gandalf too was well protected by his own magic and it was him that cancelled out the spell.

Harry flapped his wings and gave Pippin a small smile of reassurance which turned to a smirk as he looked at the others. "Saruman your Staff is broken!" Gandalf snapped and Harry felt the power explode at his words. Harry added his own power to the spell and lightning flashed from the cloudless sky and stuck Saruman's staff just as it snapped. It splintered further into a hundred pieces and slipped off the edge of the tower.

Gandalf chuckled at Harry's innocent expression. "I've wanted to do that for two thousand years." Harry whispered in Pippin's ear and received a laugh for his trouble.

"Saruman! You were deep in the enemy's counsel. Tell us what you know!" Gandalf ordered at the stunned Wizard.

"You withdraw your guard, and I will tell you where your doom will be decided. I will not be held prisoner here." Saruman shouted down but Harry already felt it. A welling of magic forming around the top of the tower. Harry's wings flared even as Gandalf sensed it to and ordered the others to retreat. Saruman was planning to kill them all by destroying the tower. It was unthinkable since the tower was almost invincible to magic, the sheer mass of released magic would destroy everything in a two mile radius. Harry threw his hands into the air and the sky darkened faster then any had ever seen before. Light flashed through the pitch black clouds before forming in a single blast of lightning that completely shattered the magical defences around Saruman and killed him in an instant sending the body tumbling off of the edge of the tower.

"Damn." Harry muttered with an irritated look at Gandalf as Saruman's body hit the ground. Harry felt Pippin scramble off of his horse as he wheeled around to face the Wizard but paid him no heed.

"Send word to all of our allies. The enemy moves against us and we must know where." Gandalf told Harry who nodded and reached out with his mind to contact all of the Nuuruhuine but as soon as he did he felt a strange feeling. Another mind nearby stretching out with the use of a Palantir. Pippin's mind. He spun around on his horse to look at the Hobbit who was holding the stone in his hands without a clue as to what it was.

"Pippin, no!" Harry snapped forgetting to cover his anxious tone. The Hobbit started and jumped around guiltily.

"I'll take that, my lad." Gandalf ordered before continuing when Pippin didn't instantly do as told. "Quickly now."

Harry was about to forcibly take the stone when Pippin gave it up willingly to the Wizard. Harry breathed a sigh of relief before lifting the Hobbit up onto the saddle again and hugging him with one arm reassured in the fact that he hadn't had time to be trapped in the minds of more powerful beings like Sauron. He shared a worried look with Gandalf before letting the Wizard guide his horse and he slipped into his own mind and reached out for the Nuuruhuine.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Rivendell; Three days later

Harry stood peacefully with Archie at his side, He'd left the army under their own command and Crysta in Edoras as protection against any undead that went that way. Harry in the meantime had returned to Rivendell to talk to Elrond and Archie, and through him the rest of the Nuuruhuine about this new turn of events. Even as he thought he slipped his mind out along side Archie's and branched out into the wide expanse of the metaphysical. It was a strange feeling dragging another mind with him but it was the easiest way to take Lord Elrond with them.

Harry found himself floating in the darkness and allowed Archie to begin constructing a scene around them since he found it easiest to form such a scene and still pay attention to the conversation. Light began to blossom around the three of them and the shape and detail of the Council Chambers at the top of Dras Arget became clear including every detail of the Mythril Map. More shapes appeared out of the gloom as each of the Nuuruhuine appeared as well as Galadriel. Harry smiled at them all and opened his arms wide in greeting. Alex had appeared at his side and sent him a loving brush of the mind since even in this realm none could touch each other.

"Has anyone discovered anything of note?" Harry asked, he was met by silence. "What of the Ring?"

"It passed through Osgiliath." Archie spoke up from beside Harry. "Calamy was able to help convince Captain Faramir of the Gondor army, to allow him and Sam to leave with their guide."

"Their guide?" Harry asked.

"A halfling enthralled to the Ring." Archie told him. "Goes by the name of Gollum."

Harry narrowed his eyes slightly. "That isn't good." Harry muttered to himself though all heard him. "Where is the main army?"

"Beached on Belfalas at the mouth of the Anduin." Alex told him and getting bored.

"What is your thinking?" Elrond asked him.

"That Mordor is wary of Morchaints power, we've already defeated Saruman in Rohan and proven that we are standing by the old alliance in defending our allies." Harry said slowly as he cross the room to the south side of the metaphysical room to where the map displayed a cluster of towns that made up Gondor. "He'll strike at the weak link, destroy the humans in one massive blow in the assumption that I will allow them to fall."

"Nacraemeus was seen several leagues East of Mirkwood two days ago at the head of an army being attacked by Orcs." Vesser told them all and instantly had all of their attention.

"So Sauron and Nacraemeus are not seeing eye to eye." Patia put in from her place opposite Harry. "That is good for us."

"Yes it is, it means that if Sauron attacks Gondor he will do it without Nacraemeus' help." Lex spoke up from her side.

"What of the Ring?" Jesu asked.

"Galadriel?" Harry asked knowing that she had her own thoughts about Frodo's abilities.

"I have every faith that the young Ring-bearer will be able to fulfil his destiny. If he fails then known of us could have done better." Galadriel told them all confidently. "His heart makes him strong."

"And he and Sam both carry Wyrda Blades which will help to keep them safe." Harry put in with a nod of agreement. "We must trust him to complete his part."

"Crysta hissed in shock. Sauron is here!" Harry snapped his head around to face her. By here she meant in Edoras. "He is using the Palantir to access the Hobbit's mind."

"Bring Pippin here!" Harry snapped back and all twenty of them joined their power together to ripple through Crysta's body and collide with that of Pippins who Crysta was crouched over. In the Metaphysical realm Pippin suddenly appeared in the centre of the circle of Ancients. His eyes were wide but blank reeling from the power of Sauron's mind. Harry stepped forwards even as his mind aided the others in battling away the Dark Lord's mind. He crouched in front of the Hobbit and took his head between his hands and slowly coaxed his mind back from the depths with gentle waves of emotions and memories of good times on their voyage and finally the way Harry had hugged the Hobbit to him on the back of the horse in Isengard.

Pippin's eyes snapped open and instantly started darting around in panic taking in all of the unfamiliar Lamia around him rippling with almost visible power along with the two Elves now standing behind Harry who was crouched in front of him. Harry smiled as Pippin began to smile at him.

"You're safe now, Pippin." Harry assured him. "We have forced Sauron away and shut you off from him."

"Where are we?" Pippin gasped. "What are you doing in Edoras?"

"We are nowhere really, a metaphysical realm between our joint minds." Harry told him. "Crysta is still in Edoras beside you, I am in Rivendell, others are in Morchaint, Mirkwood and even out on the ocean."

"How is that possible?" Pippin frowned.

"There is a lot that is capable to beings as old and powerful as those you see here." Harry admitted. "Now you need to tell me what happened. What happened after you touched the Palantir?"

"I didn't mean to, you told me it was dangerous but I could help it!" Pippin sobbed before throwing himself at Harry. Harry had been using his power to allow Pippin to feel his hands on his head and now he did the same to allow Pippin to feel the hug.

"It's power attracts innocent people." Harry told him. "What did Sauron do to you?"

"He asked me my name." Pippin told him. "When I didn't tell him he hurt me."

"Did you tell him about Frodo and the Ring?" Harry asked.

Pippin shook his head violently, "I didn't speak at all, I didn't even think about Frodo. I saw a tree though, in a courtyard. It looked dead. A city burning."

"Pippin, foolish as it was to try to use that Palantir you have done the world a great favour." Harry told him. "I will see you soon." Harry pressed a small kiss to the top of Pippin's head before reaching out to place his mind back in his body.

"Sauron has retreated." Archie told him.

"Pippin got a glimpse of Sauron's plan. We were right, he plans to destroy Gondor first. He will attack Minas Tirith." Harry spoke. "We wont have long. Alex, make sure that the army is ready to sale at any moment."

"Of course." Alex nodded. They spoke for a few minutes about less important things including Harry and Archie's upcoming trip to the Dwarven Mountain City.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Lonely Mountain

Harry stood on a hidden balcony that looked out from a cliff face overlooking Mirkwood forest to the West. Archie stood beside him though his mind had spread out to his contacts, mostly people within the armies that were related to himself or the few Vampires over a thousand who knew Archie's mind enough to find it and were powerful enough to do so without his help.

On Harry's other side was Gimli's father, Gloin and a few other Dwarven Lords. Gloin was older than most Dwarves at two hundred and fifty but he'd never met Harry before and that had caused a rather tense atmosphere when Harry had arrived. An atmosphere that had only softened because of Harry's brief meeting with the Dwarven Lord during the Secret Council in Rivendell and because of Elrond's continued promises that Harry's return wasn't any more sinister then it seemed. Whilst Harry's business in the Lonely Mountain had been solely to do with the King under the Mountain, Thorin, he had made friends with Gimli's father who even though he was too young to remember him his grandfather had insured that his descendents knew all about Harry.

"Gandalf has arrived in Minas Tirith." Archie told Harry solemnly.

"And so the battle lines must be drawn." Harry spoke quietly but the Dwarves hearing while not as good as the elves or vampire's was still better than a humans and Gloin easily heard him.

"And what of our armies, My Lord Corvil?" Gloin asked.

"The task of protecting Gondor falls to the humans and rather ironically to Morchaint's armies." Harry chuckled. "The Dwarves must focus on the North along with the Elves. Nacraemeus will use this distraction to his own advantage. At the moment he does not know where my armies are but as soon as we appear in Gondor he will know that Dras Arget is weak and he will strike fast and hard."

"Will Dras Arget hold?" Gloin asked having never seen the city except in drawings.

"Dras Arget is a fortress built for one purpose, to withstand anything thrown at it." Harry told him honestly. "My concern is for the lands that Nacraemeus must pass to reach it."

"There is nothing that we can do until that hammer drops." Thorin's voice made Gloin jump but not Harry who had heard the heavy Dwarf from down the corridor.

"Indeed there is not." Harry turned and bowed to the short Dwarf. "I am afraid that my vacation has now reach a rather sudden end. I thank you for your hospitality and I look forward to seeing you in the Dwarves rightful Throne in the Council of Middle-Earth."

"It would be an honour that I have never even dared dream through my long life." Thorin told him reverently.

"Archie, are you ready to leave?" Harry asked the other Lamia and received a short nod before both expanded their wings.

"Give my regards to my son?" Gloin asked.

"Of course." Harry bowed to the Lord before hoping up onto the balcony wall with all expected grace.

"Remember my words. Durin's Folk will come to you when you call for us." Thorin reminded him sternly.

"I look forward to the day that Human, Elf, Vampire and Dwarf once again fight side by side." Harry bowed one last time before tipping himself back off of the balcony wall and after twisting in mid air he expanded his wings and caught the dying updraft to lift him up into the night and towards Rivendell.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	18. Blood on Pelennor Fields

The Nuuruhuine

Chapter 18; Blood on Pelennor Fields.

****

River Anduin

Harry stood on the bow of the Gratius as it slowly crept up Middle-Earth's greatest river. The front half of the deck was clear but for the Nuuruhuine there. Alex stood close at his side with Archie on his other side. Jesu and Narima were near the central mast concentrating on their own magic to cause eddies and counter currents to help the twenty large ships flow up the river. Gabi, Mila and Phillip, his illusionists, were leaning on the side of the ship discussing attack plans that they had settled on together thousands of years ago.

Nicole and Lex were on Harry's other side close together against the railing making up for the months that they had been separated when Archie had sent Lex to help in Lothlorien and Nicole had stayed in Dras Arget to keep the peace, something that was no longer necessary. Along with them were also Patia for her shields, Vata because her precognitive moments always came in handy during battles and lastly Kenevee and Binar who had once been useful spies in Gondor throughout the years. That made fourteen Nuuruhuine for the upcoming battle, far more than had been seen in a battle in almost twelve hundred years. The only Nuuruhuine not present were Vesser and Micha in Mirkwood in case Nacraemeus got any ideas, Crysta who was still with the Rohirrim to head up the men still there. Lastly Noman, Mika and Anthony had been left in Dras Arget in case Nacraemeus or Sauron thought that Gondor would make a good diversion.

The assumption that Sauron would strike at Minas Tirith was made into a certainty for Harry when he'd stopped at Edoras to present Aragorn with his inheritance, the sword of the King of Gondor that, Harry hoped, would rally the Gondorians together in this fight since he highly doubted that the Steward was capable of anything more than pure cowardice. Gandalf had fled south with Pippin after hearing from the Hobbit what had happened before Harry and the Nuuruhuine had intervened and Harry was made certain when he and the rest of the Nuuruhuine collected together on the mouth of the Anduin only to be attacked by a fleet of mercenary humans which the Vampire and Lamia had ripped through with ridiculous ease, each death giving them new strength against the humans who were cramped together within the corridors of their ships.

Harry, and the rest of his army, knew that they'd arrive in the middle of the fight but there was little they could do when sailing up a river that bent away from Gondor's capital before reaching it but it did mean that they would go unnoticed when they finally did arrive.

"It's time." Alec told him and leaned forwards on the railing.

"Aye." Harry smiled glad to have been able to hear Alex's real voice in recent days. He turned to face the rest of the Nuuruhuine. "You all have your orders."

"Have you decided on survivors?" Archie asked.

"If they're not Gondorians or our allies then kill them all. Cut off their retreat like we discussed and then wipe them out." Harry told them. "And remember we're going for as few casualties on our side. This may be Gondor's final battle but it is not ours, nor will it be our hardest."

"What if the Gondorians attack us?" Lex asked though he didn't sound worried by the idea, nor were any of them.

"Try not to kill them but do anything else that you like." Harry said simply. It had been a thousand years past that he had given up on diplomacy with the Gondorians but with Aragorn soon to take charge he didn't want them weak.

Harry turned after receiving individual remarks from all of his friends and flared his wings. He heard the same sound from across the ships as four hundred Lamia did the same at the first sight of his black wings, distinctive as the only that dark. He took off into the air with a mighty flap of his wings and Alex was beside him almost instantly. Hundreds took to the skies around him and the ships were suddenly four hundred short of their twenty thousand troops. Archie had predicted that the Orcs and human raiders would be able to break through the Cities walls before they arrived so Harry was taking measures to ensure that the city itself, with it's civilian population, didn't fall.

It took them the entire night and much of the next day to reach the west of Minas Tirith but Harry, Alex and their companions had been able to hear the sounds of battle ever since nightfall. They had swung around the city to come down on it from above and Harry planned to sweep through it from the top down using their flying advantage to wipe out the enemies within the city. He hoped to have the city cleared before his main force attacked from the East after stealing Osgiliath from its temporary holders.

They all paused on the top of Mount Mindolluin, which the city backed up against, to take in the scene and work out their attack plan. From here Harry could see his fleet coming into position. "The Rohirrim have already arrived." Alex pointed out.

"Warn Archie to mind his friendly fire." Harry told one of the younger Lamia nearby who he knew was one of Archie's descendents and more power than most, if not Harry and Alex, with his mental powers. Harry looked down over Pelennor Fields, it was a state really. The land closest to the walls was overrun with Orcs while the next band was filled with Rohirrim, his own small band of human fighters and probably the Nuru Noste and Crysta, as well as the majority of the orc army mixed between them and Harry was pleased to see that the Rohirrim were beginning to take the lead in the battle.

The problem with Pelennor Fields however was that until an army was almost on top of you, you couldn't see it so not only were the ships arriving in Osgiliath invisible to the lower parts of the city and to the Rohirrim but so was the large human army with no fewer than twenty five Oliphaunts. Huge elephant like creatures with a harsh temper with mounted fortresses strapped to their backs. The Rohirrim were far outclassed by this new addition.

Alex pointed to a small band of riders to the south of the main force. Harry focused on them closer and saw what was obviously a female rider seated behind a halfling. He hissed. There was only two people that that could be. Lady Eowyn and Merry.

"Four to help the Nuru Noste protect the Kings of men." Harry ordered noticing the black cloaked humans and Vampires around the two humans, dwarf and elf. "Two to protect King Theoden's niece and the halfling, Merry." Harry pointed out the single horse with the two riders off to the side of the battle as he said this and without a word six of his Lamia leapt into the sky.

Harry eyed a single white horse burst through the seventh gate that lead to the Citadel and raised his eyebrows. Why was Gandalf fleeing the battle with Pippin? "Alex, I'll meet you at the Great Gate."

"Sure, just don't get yourself into trouble." Alex told him. Harry snorted and waved his lover off. He leapt into the air and tipped himself down to the top of the city along with the almost four hundred other Lamia. Harry followed them down but followed Gandalf's horse down the Silent Street to the Hallows where they burst straight through the door into the House of the Stewards, the younger version of the House of the Kings, the tomb for all of the Kings of Gondor.

Harry landed and darted in as he heard the clash of staff and halberd and slipped through the corridors using the shadows to hide his approach. He slipped out of the shadows as he entered the flame ridden chamber where the pyre stone sat, in the middle was a body along surrounded by flames. Even through the sounds of fighting and flames he could hear his heartbeat but it was obvious that the Gondorian hadn't chosen his fate. Harry snarled as he spotted a fur cloaked man that fitted the description of a Steward perfectly. He was on fire and was scrambling to his feet. What kind of human put a living being into the middle of a pyre? Then he reminded himself that it was quite common for the Gondorians to do just that to Vampires or Lamia that they caught.

Two Citadel guards came out of their shock of watching the Steward scream in pain as the fire burnt his flesh and saw Harry standing there. They rushed him on both sides but Harry met their charge with his wings, propelling them both backwards into opposite walls. He snarled at the Steward as he darted across the room and fled down the corridor, burning more and more rapidly. Once he hit to fresh air outside it would only get worse. Harry decided to leave him to his fate especially when Pippin jumped from the back of Shadowfax, where Gandalf was beating aside the other six Citadel Guards, and through the flames to the Gondorian who was already starting to ignite as the ring of flames crept towards them.

Harry flared his wings and leapt up onto the edge of the pyre stone with the flames licking at his boots, protected by his Nuuruhuine from magic. He crouched down behind Pippin before the young hobbit could noticed him and closed his wings over both hobbit and human letting the flames reach up uselessly over his wings protected from fire by his own immortality just as they had against Saruman's magic. As soon as Pippin noticed him he smirked and through open his wings sending flaming hay and twigs in all directions and killing any flames left on the Pyre stone.

"He's burning!" Pippin yelled in surprise noticing the Gondorian's sleeve which was happily burning away with the renewed air supply. Harry sighed and placed his hands over the flames to kill them off and received a shock gasp when he pulled them away unblemished.

Harry stood and turned to snarl at the two Citadel Guards still trying to fight Gandalf with their long poles. Really they should be dead by now against somebody as powerful as Gandalf but the White Wizard didn't want to kill them and he was well aware what the sharp halberds could do to his horse. "Flee!" Harry snarled, his voice echoing through the Tomb, "Before I drain you completely!"

They went startlingly pale and dropped their halberds in their haste to run only stopping to lift two of their comrades who were still conscious. "Harry!" Pippin grabbed him around the waist and Harry let his wings collapse back against his back encasing half of Pippin as he did.

"Yes, Pippin. It is good to see you in good health, though the situations you get yourself in still amuse me." Harry said tilting his head at the Citadel Guard uniform the hobbit was wearing. "Perhaps you can explain this latest eventuality to me at a later time. For now, we have a battle to win. Gandalf?"

"The last I knew, the Rohirrim were taking the edge against the Orc army but I don't believe the city is holding up so well." Gandalf said as Harry began to lead them outside with Pippin still half under his wing. Gandalf dismounted to follow and Shadowfax followed with his usual want of care that Harry was Lamia.

"The city will be cleared momentarily. Four hundred Lamia are sweeping it." Harry smirked at Gandalf and the old Wizard chuckled. "But the war outside the Great Gate is about to become more than the humans can handle alone."

"What approaches?" Gandalf asked as they walked alone the Silent Street at a brisk pace.

"An army of Easterlings and Oliphaunts equalling that of the Orc army that the Rohirrim have almost spent themselves against." Harry told him with a vague gesture that reached across the as yet unseen Pelennor Fields to give a vast idea of the size of the army. "My own army is at the moment retaking Osgiliath and setting up for an attack as soon as the orcs are finished off."

"Why wait for the orcs to die?" Pippin asked.

"The Morchaint armies are experts with weapons of war more complex than any seen in Middle-Earth." Gandalf said. "They do not want to risk hitting the Rohirrim in their strike."

"Alas that this Middle-Earth will not yield the necessary materials to create true weapons of war." Harry sighed without real care. He long since given up on creating controlled explosives enough for canons or the more modern Muggle weaponry."

"I have not heard you speak of your old world for some time." Gandalf arched an eyebrow at him.

"Yet I sometimes wonder where they are now after two thousand years." Harry smiled and curious smile and shrugged it off. "I should go, I shall meet with you once this fight is done with. You should be secure in the City now, Pippin, but stay with Gandalf until the battle is done."

Pippin nodded and ducked out from under Harry's wings which soon flared to catch a gust of smoky and warm air form the fires below that made it all too easy to take to the skies and glide down towards the Great Gate so far below them. He arrived just in time to see Alex finished off the last Troll with a jolt of lightning that fried its brain. Harry smirked at him and received a nod as the other Nuuruhuine headed over to him.

"The City is clear." Alex told him as he wiped his broadsword off on a nearby Orcs rather dirty clothing.

"The Gondorians?" Harry asked eyeing the ten Nuuruhuine lurking in the shadows around the plaza.

"The Civilians saw the purge but are keeping to their houses. They're scared." Alex smirked. "They think it's the end of the world."

Harry chuckled. "And the soldiers?"

"After seeing their Steward drop from the Seat to his death they are a bit broken but they do not realise that we are here." Alex shook his head. "The Orcs had not yet breached the Third Gate and the remaining guards do not yet realise that they have been helped by us."

"As is the way." Harry shook his head and he and Alex walked out under the destroyed Great Gate. Outside the Rohirrim were completely devastating the Orc army and what orcs could be seen close to the gate had yet to see the two Lamia with their wings held loosely out to either side. "Time to seal the Gate."

Harry raised his hands and the ground began to shake. Harry and Alex flared their wings and ducked backwards into the plaza as the ground began to rise under the Gate until it completely closed off the entrance with a five metre thick slab of rock.

__

"Ring Wraiths!" A call rippled through their minds from one of the other Lamia and he knew that all the Lamia within the city were moving to better defend against attacks from the sky. Harry and Alex flared their wings and rose to the top of the outer wall. The sky darkened in response to Harry's powers and lightning crackled across the sky.

The closest swooped down on the Gondorians on the wall and Harry snapped his fingers sending a blast of lightning down at the Fell Beast that it rode. The blast almost missed and it took all of Harry's control to make the lightning hit it's target. The Beast twitched as it fell through the sky and down onto the wall where it died a rather unpleasant death at the hands of the Gondorians. The Wraith disappeared in a crowd of fighting but Harry knew that some of his Nuuruhuine would attack it and either manage to kill it or run it out.

"What happened?" Alex, attuned to lightning magic, asked as he felt the extra power Harry had had to force through.

"The Fell Beasts are protected against my magic." Harry told him.

"Nacraemeus!" Alex hissed.

"He hopes to see the humans wiped out without him losing troops himself." Harry shook his head. "He was always a coward."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Pelennor Fields

Aragorn twisted his body on his horse to strike at a near by orc and watched as an arrow thudded into another further away. Theoden fought on his left with several of his better riders around his far side. Legolas and Gimli were on the same horse just on his right.

"King Theoden, the tide seems to be turning." Aragorn shouted over the sound of battle. He reigned his horse around. "The orcs are losing!"

"Kill them all and then move to clear the city!" Theoden yelled to his troops. Aragorn turned back to the battle but his inattention had cost him and he could move his sword to block the orc as it hurtled towards him. It's sword swung down at him and he gritted his teeth in preparation for the pain even as he swung his own sword up knowing that it wouldn't be enough. An arrow sprouted from the orcs neck but Legolas' help was still too late.

Another sword crossed his sight and the light flashed as if blocked by something. The sound of feathers was the first thing he noticed before he watched as the sword twisted around the orcs and sliced the creatures head from its shoulders and the body kicked back onto the ground. The Lamia spun on Aragorn causing his horse to rear up in panic at the sight of the wings and fangs and the immortal smell so unlike its human trainers.

****

"Be calm." It spoke in the slight variation of Elvish that Aragorn knew that most from Morchaint spoke and Aragorn took in the powerful beings black and silver tunic and the fine Mythril vest that protected it without adding too much weight. Aragorn looked around him quickly to see another Lamia standing by the King horse just a few metres away with another killing an orc with practiced ease. A forth was lingering near Legolas and Gimli's horse.

Aragorn turned back to his own only to see an orc charge out from between two nearby Riders. The Lamia twisted around and blurred as it darted forwards. The orc fell to the ground before Aragorn had worked out that the sword had sliced across it's neck. The Lamia turned back to Aragorn and smirked. The one guarding the King grabbed a charging orc by the neck and sunk its teeth into its neck and Aragorn found himself thinking that if it had been human prey he would have cried out is disgust. The Riders paused in their fighting to stare in shock and horror and Aragorn noticed that his own protector and the King's second Lamia guard were keeping half an eye on their brethren.

"At the order of Duke Corvil we will protect you at all costs." The Lamia that had saved his life told him. Two orcs lurched at the Lamia who killed the first with ease but received a nasty looking slash across his shoulder blades before he flexed his wings and sent the orc flying. Aragorn spurred his horse forwards to help his saviour out only to see the Lamia hiss in anger and grab the nearest orc and sink his teeth into it. From his vantage point Aragorn watched as the wound closed over without a scratch, the torn tunic the only evidence that he had been wounded in the first place.

"They are truly invincible." Aragorn looked at Theoden as he spoke. "They could conquer everything!"

"Only as long as we had enemies to feed from." One of the King's protectors spoke silkily from behind the two and they flinched.

"Just as my father told me," Legolas joined them in the peaceful moment without orcs to fight. "It is the sign that they are truly not evil."

Before Aragorn could comment the already grey sky turned black and lightning flashed across the sky and struck one of the Wraith's steeds flying over the city. The four Lamia guards flapped their wings in agitation as they stared at the slowly falling Fell Beast. They'd been expecting more.

"Nacraemeus!" His own saviour hissed in irritation. "He befouls the battlefield and defies our Liege even from his cowardly hideaway!"

"What do you mean?" Aragorn frowned as he pulled his horse to calmness next to his saviour who was sheathing his sword without any enemies nearby to fight. The orcs were fleeing towards Osgiliath.

"He is protecting the Wraith from Our Liege's magic." He told him. "He is still no match for the Duke and Lord Corvil though." He smirked as they saw a second Wraith crumple to the ground outside the Gate and be swarmed by attacking Riders.

"My King!" A Rider rode through the surrounding Riders killing off the slowest of the orcs. "The city is blocked, we cant get in to secure it!"

"What do you mean!?" Theoden frowned.

"The Great Gate is blocked! The stone just rose up out of the ground! Devil's witchery!" The Rider cursed.

"Not the devil's magic." Legolas and Gimli's protector spoke as he walked over to the King with a swagger to his step. "The Nuuruhuine."

"The Nuuruhuine can raise the ground?" Gimli grunted as if offended.

"Not all, only Lord Vesser, Lady Micha and Duke Corvil." He smirked at the Dwarf who had always been envious of the rich mines of Miril. "King Theoden, you must not concern yourself over Minas Tirith, it is now in the hands of Morchaint as the flags over the Great Gate betray."

Theoden copied Aragorn in spinning his horse to stare in shock at Minas Tirith. The smoke columns over the city were now turning to steam as somebody methodically put out the fires but through the white clouds to large black banners could easily be seen flapping slowly over the Gate, spreading out to the North. Craning his head up he could see that the flagstaff normally reserved for the stewards banner now also held the black banner. The King's flagstaff sitting in front of it sat bare as it had ever since the fall of the last King.

"You must rally your troops for an attack from Osgiliath." Aragorn's own protector said simply. "An army of _humans_ approaches from the East." He said the words humans like a curse and Theoden stiffened at the assault to his race.

"An army?" Aragorn spoke up to cover the insult knowing that the Lamia was only judging the Easterlings.

"Eight thousand humans on foot and a dozen Oliphaunts." The Lamia told him with a smirk. "Keep your men by the walls, we shall deal with the army."

"You?" Theoden frowned.

"You did not think that Morchaint would come to your aid unprepared, did you?" The King's own protector asked. Their way of switching speaker was beginning to confuse Aragorn and evidently the King too. "Already Osgiliath is ours. We can smell the deaths from Osgiliath in the air." He smirked and looked wishfully at a nearby dead orc. Aragorn shuddered but he had new respect for his Lamia and Vampire allies, they had restraint that the other races could never dream of.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Minas Tirith

Harry ducked and slashed both of his swords one after the other through the mystical neck of the first Wraith he had downed. His magic hissed and crackled over the blades and the Wraith screamed as Harry's magic bent to one task, the permanent destruction of one of the King's of old. It's essence fled as it's tunic and armour clattered to the floor surrounded in the Gondorian dead it had killed. A Lamia crouched against the wall with a serious sword wound and a badly wounded wing where she had tried and failed to protect the Gondorians. Alex was holding his wrist up to her mouth allowing her a rare privilege of feeding from a Nuuruhuine. By the time she was done her wing would be fully healed and she'd no doubt feel more energetic then ever before.

He sheathed his sword and looked around at the dozen Gondorians giving him frightened look. They weren't daft, they'd already seen the black banners and no matter where they looked a deadly winged being was standing in the shadows ready to kill even them all at the slightest provocation.

Harry watched as the largest of the Fell Beast alighted half way up the city. He was about to morph into his Thunderbird form to attack it when he felt power and magic well up in the city above him before imploding. "The Witch-King of Angmar!" Harry hissed.

Horns interrupted him and he turned to look over Pelennor Field. The Oliphaunts were now clearly visible along with the shadow of the marching army. More horns joined the first until loud horns, that grated on Harry's nerves, spread across the entire battlefield. He saw the shift in the Riders as they saw this and instantly moved into a defensive line though they didn't charge.

Harry drew his own horn from it's holster and probed out a signal with his mind to all the Lamia in the city. Alex drew his own horn as he joined Harry at the wall. Harry blew into his own first but the call was quickly taken up throughout the city and even by the six on Pelennor Fields. The Gondorians cringed with their hands over their ears and the Riders and their horses milled about nervously and with quite a bit painfully below them.

The distant sound of thunder was the first warning that the humans received but the Lamia could hear the sound of highly tensioned wood creaking and the sound of flaming objects flying through the air before anybody saw anything. Even as the horns sound faded the sight of twenty flaming balls flew up into the sky to the east. Heavy, thick smoke trailed behind them as they reached up into the skies above Osgiliath and arced towards them.

The sound of screaming flames filled the air as the missiles began to fall to the ground but the Easterlings were too confused to think to look up and the first twenty flaming projectiles smacked into their ranks killing those under them in an instant. More burned as flaming matter rained down on them. Two of the projectiles landed squarely on the backs of Oliphaunts destroying the small forts completely. Another hit one of the beasts on the head burning out it's eyes. It knocked the ball off it's head and panicked in pain.

The Rohirrim and Gondorians were shocked by the accuracy and deadliness of the strike but their shock was nothing compared to their horror as the strike concluded in twenty explosions as the recently landed projectiles exploded outwards. Hundreds died on the ground along with the two Oliphaunts who's backs were completely blown apart.

Harry smirked as the eastern horizon lit by the western sun began to fill with ranks of Lamia slowly rising in straight lines as they flew towards the Easterlings. Drums beat through the air, only just sounding over the cries from the Rohirrim and Easterling armies, as a Vampire-human army approached in tight formation from behind the Easterlings who were now trapped between the Rohirrim and Morchaint.

"Forth Eorlingas!" A voice met Harry's ears from below and Harry smiled a true smile or appreciation as the Rohirrim responded to King Theoden's call and started their charge. Two more salvos of explosive projectiles struck the Easterlings before the Rohirrim struck the front line and another Oliphaunt had fallen. Harry almost winced as the first line of Riders hit the Oliphaunts and running humans. The humans would fall easily to the Riders but there was little that the Rohirrim could do against such large creatures. Still they took out a few before Harry's own army clashed with them.

The ships ceased firing with their mounted trebuchets as the Rohirrim mingled with the Easterlings and soon the first line of the vampire-human army clashed with the Easterlings unruly ranks. They started cutting into the Easterling moving one step at a time as they cut down all in their path, their organization and skill easily outmatching the Easterlings. Lamia swooped in low preying on the forts and killing the Oliphaunts slowly but efficiently.

"Harry, the Fell Beasts and Nazgul." Alex reminded him. Harry tore his eyes away from the largest battle to be fought in two thousand years and the first battle fought with the Gondorians and Morchaint on the same side. He looked at Alex and sighed before jumping up onto the wall. He tipped himself over the side and morphed as he glided until he had grown to a hundred times his own size. He flapped his crackling wings to gain altitude until he was centred over the battle.

Lightning formed over his head and Lamia scattered from above the Oliphaunts without being asked. His lightning threw itself down onto the battlefield slamming straight into one of the great beasts and killing it instantly as well as completely obliterating the fort on it's back.

He heard a screech from above him and twisted his body and raked his claws at the diving Fell Beast as it tried to bite and claw at him. He flipped around its body and lightning tore through it as he grabbed at the Ring wraith on its back. Lightning struck him as the Fell Beast fell limply to the ground. Two more lightning bolts struck him and he channelled them all into his mouth and into the Ringwraith.

Harry dropped the armour and tunic and turned to take in the battle only to see something so unlikely it almost made him laugh and would have if he wasn't a Thunderbird. He watched just as Merry stabbed the Witch-King in the ankle and Eowyn put her sword through his head. The shockwave knocked them both to the ground.

Harry screeched and Lightning stuck throughout the battlefield killing the last three Oliphaunts and obliterating a large contingent of Easterlings. He swooped down and crouched over Eowyn and Merry doing his duty to protect a member of the Fellowship. He tilted his head back and Lightning channel from the clouds into him before leaping out in all directions, jumping from enemy to enemy killing every enemy in a hundred metres of him. He could see his own army only two hundred metres from him and knew that the battle was almost over. The last Easterlings would be killed within moments.

He screeched triumphantly and morphed back into his Lamia form. He knelt by Merry and lifted him into his arms before gesturing for a nearby flying Lamia to lift Eowyn. He'd take them both to the House of Healing and then return to the battlefield to help clear it up. Gondor was safe for the first time in a thousand or more years.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	19. The End of the One Ring

The Nuuruhuine

Chapter 19; The End of the One Ring

**Minas Tirith**

Harry stood in the open Main Gate of Minas Tirith and watched as a cart of dead Orcs was hauled passed them by a team of Gondorians and Rohirrim. Harry turned to look into the shadows on both sides of the Gate. Six more of his Nuuruhuine were standing their and Harry knew that the other seven of those present were either out among the clear up or up within the tiers of the city.

Harry stepped out of the shadows making the humans jump as he and then the other six appeared seemingly out of nowhere. A Rohirrim Captain snapped to attention and clenched his right fist in front of his right shoulder in salute. Harry returned the salute with their normal fist over the collar bone and then motioned for them to continue. Harry followed them out and into the sunlight to stare down across Pelennor Fields, his troops were forming up into trains.

He motioned with his hand and Lex stepped forwards and pulled out his mythril horn with a rather deliberate motion before he blew the withdraw into it. The long, drawn out, blast echoed quietly over the area for almost half a minute before Lex stopped. There was a loud reverberating thud as thousands of weapons sheathes hit shields all across his army before the steady beat of a hundred drums as his troops began to cross the plains and return to the ships already being loaded in Osgiliath.

"Let's go have a talk with our young King." Harry smirked as he turned to the others. He flared his wings and all around the Gate fifteen sets of wings burst out and they threw themselves into the air as they began to climb up to the top level of the mountain city. It was the humans' pride and joy but no Gondorian alive had seen Dras Arget. Even the raised inner city was larger that Minas Tirith as a whole. And then you had to include the three mile diameter city around it.

Harry landed gracefully in the main courtyard outside the Citadel and silently his friends landed around him. He folded his wings but didn't pull them in as he walked towards the open doors of the Citadel. He strolled through and several Lamia lurking just inside snapped to attention with a thud of their fists against their chests. Harry nodded to them before leading his fourteen friends through the anti-chamber and into the Great Hall of the Gondorian Kings.

The group inside turned to look at him immediately as he entered. Aragorn was sitting on the bottom of the steps that led up to the Throne. Gandalf was standing nearby along with Legolas, Gimli and Pippin, Merry and Eowyn were all looking much healthier after three days of rest. Farimir, the Gondorian Captain, sat at a table not far away with a few supposed Gondorians around him. Harry flicked a small hidden gesture at the spies in the room. The soldier in finery at Farimir's shoulder flicked his fingers in permission as did one of the Citadel Guards on the right of the room who was wearing the thick black robes and holding the sharp edges staffs of the Guards.

"Archie, please summon Lucus, Zepher and Anita." Harry spoke just loud enough for Archie, at his shoulder, to hear him. Archie nodded and as they came to a halt in front of the group at the other end of the hall, Archie stopped moving to do just that. He'd gotten permission from the Lamia exiles to tell those assembled about them with those few gestures.

"What was that horn we just heard?" Aragorn asked.

"The retreat." Harry told them. "The Morchaint army is loading back onto the ships and heading back to Dras Arget."

"Why?" Gimli grunted. "We could use an army like that! They cut through those Easterlings like a good old fashioned Dwarven Army."

"We'll take that as a compliment." Archie grinned at the Dwarf.

"This war is more or less over. Nacraemeus held back and that concerns us more than anything that Sauron can now throw against us." Harry said in a tone that allowed no argument. "I need them there in case he attacks."

"Won't he attack someone weaker?" Aragorn asked.

"He doesn't work like that and Sauron made that mistake." Harry made a gesture as if he was brushing away a fly. "He threw everything he had at Gondor and we all massed together and wiped out his army. Nacraemeus will strike at the only fortress capable of withstanding him while he is at his most powerful."

"Frodo has passed beyond my sight." Gandalf told him after a few moments.

Harry eyed him knowing what he was asking. He looked at the others in the room and nodded in agreement. He took a deep breath and let his eyes fall shut. His mind joined with the fourteen other Nuuruhuine in the room before branching out to the East. Moments later two more minds joined from the North and then another three from the North West until all twenty minds could strike out into the heart of Mordor. They felt a barrier fly out at them and without comment everybody but Harry and Alex veered off to strike at it, battering it back into the East as Harry and Alex searched for the familiar mind of Frodo or Sam.

They weren't easy to find but eventually Harry found them just over the border. His eyes narrowed as he sensed the other Orc minds heading to the area. There was nothing that Harry could do about them since their minds were strong enough to fend Harry and Alex off at this distance but the mind attacking Sam at that moment could be dealt with. Harry summoned Archie away from duelling with Sauron to join them and the three of them slammed into Shelob's mind. He saw a flash through her eyes of Sam just before she was about to bite him but suddenly she was in pain. Her screeches sent Sam scrambling backwards as Harry, Alex and Archie slowly killed her from within. Sam suddenly launched himself forwards and his Wyrda Blade sunk into Shelob's body.

Alex and Archie withdrew but Harry reached out to Sam. "Stay safe." He whispered into his mind knowing that he'd recognised his voice. He backed away but got a good look at the Plains of Gorgorath and the ten thousand Orcs there. He opened his eyes last among the Nuuruhuine.

"Did you find them?" Legolas asked having felt their minds sweep back to their bodies. "You were gone for some time."

Harry breathed out slowly. "We did, we gave them some help along the way."

"I left some protection on both Halflings to ward off Sauron's searching mind." Archie told Harry and the others.

"Are you defenceless like that?" Farimir asked from off to the side.

"Yes." Harry said simply. "Normally we wouldn't all go but we are safe enough here."

"Safe?" Aragorn asked. "I don't think all of the Gondorians welcome you here. Don't forget this room is surrounded by Citadel Guards."

"We haven't but not with every human in this city could you kill us all." Harry told him without emotion.

"Not when you're defenceless." Farimir pointed out with a small grin on his lips.

Harry raised an eyebrow at the man and without taking his eyes off of him he snapped his fingers. Before anybody could react the 'Gondorian' soldier at his side drew a dagger and in a blur had it held across Farimir's throat. Farimir went ridged and in a second Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli had their weapons out and aimed at Calamy but a second after that an arrow was pointed at the side of Legolas' head as Denver, the Citadel Guard, stepped out from behind one of the pillars behind the Thorn and drew his bow. A Gondorian bow.

"Like I said before, my young King, I have spies in Gondor." Harry told him. He gestured bleakly with his hand and Calamy and Denver stepped away and put away their weapons. Legolas eyed Denver with a curious expression and Denver smiled at him cheekily.

"Vampires?" Legolas asked.

"Lamia actually." Harry shrugged. "They were the ones that the Lord of Moria ordered to retreat to Lothlorien."

Just as he finished speaking four people entered the end of the chambers and Harry turned to signal to the Guards that they could enter. Alex stepped forwards and took over the introductions. "May I introduce Calamy, Denver, Lucus, Zepher and Anita." Alex introduced."

"Lucus, the trader?" Farimir groaned. "Spies everywhere!"

"It is our way." Harry shrugged without regret.

"My Lords." Anita crossed the hall with a small boy behind her. Harry felt a grin split across his face as Lucus followed his wife and the boy. Alex tensed slightly and Harry grinned sideways at him as the rest of the Nuuruhuine moved to the sides.

"Anita, it has been some time since I married you into the family. I was relieved to hear from Lady Galadriel that you and Lucus were alive." Harry bowed at the couple just grateful that his family weren't completely gone.

"My Lords." Lucus bowed back but looked up with a smile. "This is our seven year old son, Pier. He'd looked forward to meeting the two of you since he was old enough to understand bedtime stories."

Harry grinned at the small boy as he was pushed forwards gently by his mother who placed her hand on his shoulders calmingly. Harry knelt on one knee and his wings flared up over his head agitatedly. Pier looked at them in awe for a moment before staring at his ancestor with much the same impression. "It's wonderful to meet you, my grandchild."

Alex knelt at his side as soon as Harry folded his wings again and offered the small boy a loving smile. Harry's eyes glittered as he fed magic into his eyes and he looked into Pier's very soul seeing the boy's yet to be grown wings in the back of his mind and also his magical potential. "I wondered when one would come to follow me in my footsteps." Harry stood and grinned at Lucus.

"My Lord?" Lucus frowned in confusion.

"Enough of the 'My Lord' stuff, Lucus. I held you in my arms when you were born." Harry rolled his eyes. "He has magic like myself and wings like mine."

"I'm going to have black wings!" Pier spoke for the first time with a large grin on his face. Alex smiled and moved forwards to ruffle the small boy's hair.

"Not for nine years yet." Alex grinned at his distant Grandson.

Harry turned back to the room. "I apologise for the distraction." Harry smiled at them all and Gandalf winked at him. Aragorn was staring in shock as was Gimli. Legolas had a tolerant smile on his lips whereas Pippin and Merry were looking confused. "We must discuss the rest of this task."

"Indeed." Aragorn nodded and sat once more on the steps up to the Throne. "Would you have seen it if Sauron had the Ring?"

"We would all feel it if he touched the Ring." Harry told him. "But Frodo still has it."

"Actually Sam took it from him just after we left." Archie told him. Harry eyed the fellow Nuuruhuine. "He felt nothing but loyalty to Frodo when he took it."

"What does that mean?" Gimli asked.

"That Sam is doing everything in his power to ensure Frodo does what needs to be done." Harry told him. "But even the two of them together cannot cross the Plains of Gorgorath without an intervention."

"They are regrouping?" Gandalf asked warily.

"What seems to be every Orc in Mordor is between Frodo, Sam and Mount Doom." Harry sighed.

"How many?" Aragorn asked.

"At least ten thousand." Harry told him.

"I've sent him to his death." Gandalf sighed deeply though only quietly.

"No. There is still hope." Aragorn spoke up before Harry could. "He needs time and safe passage across the Plains. We can give him that!"

"How?" Gimli rounded on the King.

"March on the Black Gate." Harry put in while everyone was looking at Aragorn.

Gimli choked as did many of the others before they turned to stare at Harry. "We cannot hope to win a battle through strength of arms." Farimir spoke up.

"We don't need to." Harry strode forwards. "All we need do is draw out his army and clear the way for Frodo. Once the way is clear all we have to do is keep Sauron concentrating on us until it is too late."

"And how do we keep his attention on us?" Gimli asked.

"We yell at him." Harry smirked and the other Nuuruhuine smirked at the occupants of the room who looked rather concerned.

"He might not take the bait." Gandalf pointed out.

"Then we play on his deepest fear." Harry spoke as he strode forwards. "Elessar Telcontar. Heir of Isildur and King of Gondor. Stand and approach the Nuuruhuine."

Everybody's eyes widened at the tone of Harry's voice and the air throbbed as if yielding to his presence. Harry brought out his wings again and raised them high. In reverence all of the other Nuuruhuine folded their wings down and stepped around Harry to form a semi circle reaching forwards and enclosing all of the fellowship and friends around the Throne. "Aragorn, do as he says."

Harry was bringing forwards all of his power by this point and knew that this moment throbbed through the air all of the way to Mordor and beyond. He'd be shocked if both Sauron and Nacraemeus weren't watching this in their own minds. Aragorn slowly stood and walked towards him rather anxiously. The Nuuruhuine, following Alex's prompt, pulled their twin swords from their backs and crossed them in front of them pointing down at the ground.

Aragorn stopped about a metre in front of Harry who nodded briefly to show it was ok. "Elessar Telcontar, Ruler of all the Houses of Gondor. You are rightfully King of Gondor. By the power of the Council of Morchaint I place you in your rightful position to fight against Evil, no matter the source. To defend against enemies of Gondor or any member of the Council of Morchaint." Harry paused as his words echoed around the Hall though they didn't echo off of the stones but seemed to pass through them before bouncing back. "Do you accept this charge?"

Aragorn looked back at Gandalf anxiously and the Wizard nodded. "I do."

"Do you swear to uphold the principles of the Council of Morchaint, to uphold the West against all hostile invaders, until your last breath?"

"I swear." Aragorn nodded.

"Rise." Harry words held ridiculous power. "Elessar Telcontar, this has been in the hands of the Elves for thousands of years. They've reforged it and it rightly belongs to you." Harry reached into his robe and pulled out a leather wrapped sheath that had been strapped to the inside of his cloak. He handed it to the man as he stood.

Aragorn stared at him in confusion for a moment before hesitantly reached out to accept the sword. He pulled it smoothly from the sheath and they all felt a heavy throb in the air. Harry and the other Lamia smirked as they felt the watching Sauron recoil away from the sword like it had burned him. Aragorn, oblivious to the mental battle in the air around him lifted the sword clear of the sheath and swung it up. "Elendil."

"If anything will draw Sauron's attention it is this." Gandalf smirked and Harry nodded.

"He already knows." Harry shook his head. "Hence the formalities and the power."

"Plus you are now officially the King of Gondor in the eyes of the Kingdoms of the west." Alex pointed out with a small bow.

"The sooner we leave the better." Harry told them officially. "We must clear the Plains as soon as possible."

"We?" Gimli asked.

"Why do you think we have stayed?" Harry asked offhandedly. "It will be the first time more than five Nuuruhuine have thought in a battle without a Morchaint Army doing most of the work."

"Oh dear." Gandalf muttered around his pipe.

"I did say we planned to shout to get his attention." Harry smirked before turning to leave the room.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two days later**

It was a hard march North without enough horses for all of the men but as Harry looked down at the grey sand and the huge Black Gate beyond he couldn't help but be impressed by the fortitude of the humans. They were waiting patiently in silence completely intermingled. Gondorians next to Rohirrim with and Elf, Dwarf, Wizard and the most powerful of the Lamia nation standing side by side.

Archie came up to the side of Harry's black war horse and touched his elbow gently. "All of Mordor is behind those Gates but there are two Hobits not half an hour from Mount Doom."

"Time to get this started then." Harry muttered dryly and whistled lowly through his teeth. His horse followed his orders instantly and started forwards at a regal trot. Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas with Pippin, Merry and Gimli as passengers followed him forwards and the only four horses in the army slowly rode down across the grey sand towards the gate. A horn rang out from behind it and with a colossal crack one half of the iron gate started moving out and a single Rider made his way through the gap.

Harry swore rather rudely under his breath. The features of the man were too obvious to be anything else. He was a Vampire. He heard the rustle of wings behind him as all of the Nuuruhuine saw the same thing. Harry turned to Aragorn. "This one's mine." He hissed. The others all looked at him shock at the hatred in his voice.

"Why?" Aragorn asked.

"He's a Vampire." Harry told them just before the Rider came to a stop a few metres in front of them. Harry held his hand up to stop his friends.

"My Master, Sauron the Great, bids thee welcome." The Vampire, the evident Lord of the Black Gate, addressed Aragorn before trying to continue.

"You will address me with your name and your reason for calling Sauron your Master!" Harry snapped and spurred his horse forwards so he was in place to stop the Vampire from attacking his friends.

"Lamia!" The Vampire snarled. "Arrogant fools all of you."

"I am Duke Corvil, you are the arrogant fool to sit their on you horse with a cocky grin on your face!"

"Easy, Harry." Gandalf rode forwards to Harry's side and Pippin eyed Harry warily as he bared his teeth at the Vampire, his elongated canines easily recognisable. Aragorn and Legolas joined him to stop at Harry's other side. "Tell your Master this! The Armies of Mordor are to disband. He is to depart this land, never to return."

"Ah, old Greybeard." The Vampire bared his fangs malevolently and Harry hissed his own return. "I have a token I was bidden to show you." In one smooth motion he pulled out Frodo's Mythril vest with a malicious smirk on his face.

"Frodo!" Pippin cried from in front of Aragorn. "Frodo." He whispered in horror.

"Silence!" Gandalf snapped as Harry saw the look of pleasure on the Vampire's face.

"Frodo!" Merry almost wept.

"Enough, Vampire!" Harry snapped. "I can sense Frodo's mind even now. Leave off the treachery before I suck it out of your blood!"

The Vampire paled slightly in fear and pulled his sword from his sheathe, almost as if he felt safer behind it. He turned his fangs on Aragorn as he narrowed his eyes. Harry saw the small flicker of the eyes as the Vampire looked at the human's throat greedily. "And this must be Isildur's Heir. It takes more than a broken sword to make a King."

Before anybody could comment the Vampire threw himself over the head of his horse. Harry launched himself forwards and smacked into the Vampire in mid flight before flapping his wings to carry the struggling Vampire up above all of their heads. The horses under them skittered away, even Shadowfax took a few steps sideways.

Harry broke the Vampire's wrist letting the sword fall to the floor. He was about to snap its neck when he heard Archie's voice in his head. "_Sauron's found Frodo, he's not being distracted!"_

Harry would have grinned if the situation wasn't so severe. He looked down at the panicked eyes of the Vampire before lashing out with his neck. He bit down on the Vampire's neck and started drawing out the blood drop by drop as painfully as he could. Ripping through his mind as he went. It's screams reached every inch of the area, reverberating through everybody there, human, Lamia, Elf, Dwarf and Orc. It sent chills through the bones as the Vampire died in the slowest most painful way possible.

As Harry drank he searched through the Vampire's memories and no matter what the Vampire did he could protect himself. This Vampire had given his blood for a ritual for Nacraemeus to help the Necromancer get more powerful. He'd helped to turn Nacraemeus into something between a Necromancer and a Vampire. Harry tore the last of the blood from the Vampire before dropping the body square onto the top of the Black Gate. He felt Sauron's eyes on him from the distant tower of Barad-Dur.

He sent out a pulse of magic down towards the Gate using his overzealously charged magic courtesy of a recently dead Vampire. The Gate shuddered at the power and cracked in half a dozen places. He felt more power swell behind his own as his Nuuruhuine fed their own powers into the attack whether their powers were shielding, elemental or simply telekinetic and with a great rendering crack the two doors of the Gate flew backwards off of their massive hinges and into the waiting army behind it.

Harry dropped down to the ground almost as fast as a stone and quickly joined the others in retreating back to their lines. "Was that loud enough do you think?" Harry asked Archie with a smirk as they unhorsed and sent the horses back through the army to safety. They wouldn't be much use in this battle.

"Look at that!" Pippin's voice wavered slightly and Harry reached out and mussed his hair without actually looking down at him. Pippin was staring in horror as the thousands of Orcs slowly marched out of the ruined Gates and around their meagre seven hundred troops. Some of the Orcs were even clambering over the fallen Gates in their haste to meet their enemy.

"Don't be afraid, Pippin, you are still and always will be under my protection." Harry told him gently. "Archie?" He raised his voice. "Spread the Nuuruhuine out evenly along the front line and order them to attack as soon as the enemy charges."

"Of course, Harry." Harry could hear the malicious trend to Archie's voice but knew it was directed at the Orcs and not himself.

"What of us mere mortals?" Aragorn asked in amusement from Harry's other side.

"There'll be plenty of Orcs for everyone to bloody his or her sword." Harry told him simply as the Orcs came to a halt. There was a universal metallic snick as all seven hundred western men pulled their swords from their sheathes and then the leather and metal rustle as they changed their stances awaiting an attack. Harry stepped forwards and just to his left he saw Alex move forwards and on his right Archie stepped forwards holding out his sword at the enemy in provocation.

A horn sounded from within the Orc ranks and the front line shifted to attack. Harry tensed and pulled his swords smoothly from their sheathes against his back. That movement signalled his men to get ready and just as the Orcs began to charge Archie signalled the attack and Harry along with them all lurched forwards so fast that not even Legolas could see them all properly as all around the circle fifteen Lamia surged forwards and smashed violently into the charging Orcs.

The first few hundred died even before the Orcs knew that there was an enemy amongst them. Even after they worked out what was happening there was very little they could do about it and even Aragorn and Gandalf could only stare as any Orc that tried to raise their weapon against the insurgents were slaughtered in a blurred frenzy that the Lamia Lords had created. The Orcs seemed to come to a decision as one and they choose to attack the seven hundred large army over the single Lamia in their midst and they began pouring towards the circle.

Aragorn ordered a charge and the battle began properly though around each of the Nuuruhuine any Orc or even Troll that approached were slaughter without a chance. Soon even the humans began edging away from them though some did so in fear and others did so through need to find a living enemy to kill.

Harry effortlessly through the Orcs who were all to stupid, unskilled and slow to pose any threat to him. He finally just stayed with the two Hobbits to ensure their safety in the midst of the battle. Shadows blocked the sky about fifteen minutes into the battle and Harry thrust himself up into the air on his own black-green feathered wings until he was clear of their head before his form shifted smoothly into his Thunderbird form. Thunder rocketed out from him and smote one of the towers still standing next to the destroyed Gates.

He felt Sauron's eye fixed solely onto him and he screeched to show he would fight till the last droplet of blood fell from his body. He heard quieter screeches from birds around him and turned his head just in time to see a massive golden eagle fall from the sky and claw desperately at one of the Fell Beast that were Harry's reason for leaving the battle in the first place.

Harry swept his huge wings and sprung up into the air at one of the Beasts and in the sudden clash of beasts he snapped his jaws over the Wraith Rider's head and crushed it into a lifeless hulk as he burned it through with his magic. He fully intended to kill all of the Wraith here on this final battlefield. His claws ripped through the neck of the Fell Beast and it and the lifeless cloth robe of the Wraith fell into the middle of the battle below. A cheer rose from his allies even as he felt a wave of anger from Barud-Dur as he watched his trusted allies die at Harry's hands.

With a horrid lurch though he felt the Ring's power wash out from Mount Doom. It wasn't one of pain and horror like he had hoped. Instead it was one of victory. "_Frodo's put on the Ring!" _Archie yelled into Harry's mind and Harry roared out as he felt Sauron's mind rip around directly onto Mount Doom. Harry was just toying with the idea of flying to Mount Doom himself and had even turned in that direction when a massive shockwave of magic exploded out from Mount Doom. It was like nothing Harry had seen before. Actually that wasn't true, once when he had seen a three thousand year old Elder being killed and the magical blast had vent apart the entire battlefield, killing hundred in the Elder's final bout of retribution.

The Mountain shuddered and a massive plume of fire shot from the peak even as the magical blast struck Barud-Dur and rock flew from it as if it was exploding from the inside. Harry winced as he felt Sauron's ancient mind cry out in utter despair. Harry screeched out with a sound that was unmistakably one of victory even as the sounds of battle vanished utterly beneath him as the Orcs recoiled from the wave of despair from their Master.

The Orcs fled in massive waves passed the allied troops running away from Mordor and from the ground as it caved in all around Barud-Dur, even up to the Black Gate. Larva poured from every one of the Orc hewn entrances in the sides of Mount Doom and over the top. The Ring had been destroyed.

"_We're retreating, Harry."_ Alex spoke to him gently as Harry flared his wings hovering over the remains of the Black Gate.

"_I'm going to go look for Frodo and Sam."_ Harry announced.

"_I can sense them. Barely."_ Archie told Harry before he paused. "_The Eagles will follow you to them and carry them out. Gandalf's going with them and Alex is going as well."_

Harry saw Alex launch up from the ground and in a smooth motion he rippled back into his Lamia form. The Eagles flew passed them towards the mountain but they were hesitant when faced with the flying rocks being launched from the dying Volcano. Harry flew forwards as soon as Alex caught up and they passed close to Gandalf before heading towards the larva flows as they spread out across the base of the Volcano.

Harry and Alex saw the two small figures at the same time and they curled in their wings and dived down towards the Larva. The ebbing heat waves from the Larva made hovering over the ground easy and Harry slowly touched down on the rock and dropped down to his knees between the two small Hobbits who he had missed so much in the past months.

Sam was barely awake and Harry cupped his cheek gently. Sam focused on him and Harry smiled at him. "Well done, Sam. You can rest now."

Sam managed a weak smile before collapsing in exhaustion. Harry turned to look down at the almost comatose Frodo and gently ran his hand over the Hobbit's chest noticing that his fingers brushed against more skin than cloth. The road hadn't been easy for either of them but their task was done and if Harry had his way neither of them, or even Pippin and Merry for that matter, would ever have to see battle again.

Harry spread his wings and flapped gracefully to get clear of the rock so that the two Eagles could swoop in and gently lift Frodo and Sam off of the ground and into the relative safety of the sky before they turned South East towards Minas Tirith. Harry and Alex settled in below the Eagles so that they could catch the two sleeping Hobbits if things went bad.

And so was the end of the Ring. Harry only hoped that the peace would last for at least a while.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter

A/N; I know the end of this chapter is poorly lacking in everything but I've been having trouble getting this chapter written so this is it for the time being. I need to get it uploaded so I can move onto one of my other stories. I will revisit this and beta it before I upload the next chapter. I apologise if this really annoys anybody.


	20. Domia

The Nuuruhuine

Chapter 20; Domia

**Minas Tirith; A week after the Battle of the Black Gate**

It had taken two days to return the army from the Black Gate back to Minas Tirith. Gandalf had agreed with Harry that they shouldn't fly all the way back to the city with the two Hobbits and had rejoined the army as it slowly marched south to Osgiliath. They'd arrived to a subdued Minas Tirith but the news of the defeat of Sauron had quickly spread across the realm of Gondor and the city had come alive with colour and noise.

Harry hadn't paid all that much attention to this as preparations for the formal Coronation took most of his attention. Really, Aragorn had no clue and while most details could be left to Faramir the man didn't really know what was expected. King Theoden luckily took some of the strain onto himself and Harry found that he and Alex could finally spend some time together.

Sam woke on the third day and it took a well placed order from Harry to keep the Halfling from over exerting himself. He set Merry and Pippin to watch their friend every moment of the day and night since he more than often found himself inundated with panicked questions from Theoden or Aragorn.

While Theoden was an experienced King he wasn't all that prepared for this peace they found themselves in. Reports of Orc sightings within Rohan were coming in every day and it was only the Coronation that kept him there. Aragorn on the other hand had gone missing several times. It annoyed Aragorn extremely that no matter where he was or how well he was hidden from the humans, Harry always found him with ease if he needed anything.

Harry was lying on his and Alex's bed in a masterfully crafted suite in the Citadel enjoying the morning of peace. His wings were hidden completely so he could lie on his back but Alex, who was laying on Harry's chest had his back exposed and his wings formed a tent over them as Harry gently stroked the feathers. Moments like this were rare, Harry found, and inevitably they were interrupted.

A knock on the door and the muffled sound of Aragorn's voice had Harry groaning in irritation. Alex moaned into Harry's shoulder before pulling himself up. Harry rose gracefully and the two of them pulled on their underwear and leather trousers before Harry pulled open the door to the room and bared his fangs at Aragorn who jolted backwards in surprise.

"That's enough to clear a room." Aragorn muttered as he regained his courage. Harry turned and swept back into the room and accepted his silk undershirt from Alex. Aragorn followed him in and shut the door. "Gandalf thinks that Frodo will be waking soon."

"So Archie tells me." Harry spoke without looking at the man. He helped pull Alex's mythril vest over his wings and buckled it up tightly. His battle cloak went over the top before Alex collapsed his wings. Harry turned to look at Aragorn who had watched this all in fascination. He stretched out his wings and flapped them slightly to ease them. Alex moved up behind him and helped Harry into his own battle clothing. "Are you prepared for tomorrow, our young King?" Harry teased gently.

"Urgh!" Aragorn glared at him. "I swear this is just your way of tormenting me."

"Gondor needs a King, Aragorn." Harry told him. "It's stagnant. You can build the world of men back into it's former glory and together Gondor and Morchaint can bring Middle-Earth into an Age of Peace."

"You and your speeches." Aragorn rolled his eyes before watching as Harry's wings vanished and the two Lamia sat to pull on socks and boots.

"I've had a lot of practice." Harry told him as he rose again. He walked up to Aragorn and grasped his shoulder. "I've seen into your mind and your heart, Aragorn. That day you allowed me to feed from you opened your thoughts up to me like a book. You will be a great King, Aragorn."

"No better than you." Aragorn countered.

"The humans need a human King, Aragorn." Harry didn't miss a beat. "And there isn't another human on Earth that I would trust this to with more confidence."

Aragorn grinned at him slightly. "We're going to need to have this talk again tomorrow."

"I expect so." Harry turned to the window. "The Nuuruhuine are going for a fly. I feel the need to stretch my wings and we want to scout Pellennor Fields a bit."

Aragorn nodded to Harry before bowing his head to Alex. "Lord Corvill, I bid you a pleasant trip."

Alex chuckled and bowed his head. "There is little need for formalities around me, King Aragorn. I may not speak as much as Harry but I will not bite you just because of a bit of casualness."

Aragorn grinned at him before backing from the room. Harry turned and kissed Alex gently for a few minutes before the two moved out to the balcony and spread their wings to join the other thirteen Nuuruhuine sweeping in lazy circles around the city. It had several purposes. Other than scouting out the Pellennor Fields and stretching their wings it also got the Gondorians more used to seeing them. They were still stared at as they moved through the city but slowly the stares of fear and hate were changing into stares of awe and a curiosity that they all worked to fuel.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**An hour later**

Harry angled his wings to slowly spiral down to the ground. Alex followed him without comment though after over two thousand years together they needed very few words to get across their thought, desires and feelings. He'd been told by Archie that Frodo had awoken and by the time he reached the Houses of Healing ten minutes after he started his descent he could easily make out figures crowding out onto a large balcony near the top of the building.

He could see first Legolas, Gimli, Pippin and Merry standing at the balcony, evidently sent out to find him since they stared up even as Harry looked to see Aragorn and Gandalf follow the last two Hobbits from the room inside.

Sam was holding Frodo up as he walked and Harry felt a stab of guilt at the pressure they'd put the young Hobbit through these passed months. Then again Harry could relate. Frodo stared up at Harry and Alex as their wings plunged the balcony into shadow. They both landed on the balcony and the Elf, Dwarf and two Hobbits backed up so they could step down with infinite grace. Harry folded his wings but remembering the fascination of Frodo's face when he had cleaned the feathers after Caradhras he left them visible.

Harry shared a small smile with Aragorn who seemed to be the only one other than Harry and possibly Gandalf that had noticed that finally the Fellowship were back together but Boromir hadn't made it. Harry walked towards Sam and Frodo slowly and knelt before him and ducked his head.

"I always had the highest confidence in your ability to do this, Frodo." Harry started before chuckling. "It's good to know I'm not losing my good sense in my old age." Gandalf laughed and Frodo smiled at Harry who knelt properly and took his hands in his own. "There is nothing that I can say that could possibly express our gratitude. Being Immortal means we could spend eternity repaying somebody for a deed such as this but you perhaps don't have so long. Even so, Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin, you all have but to ask for anything."

Frodo stared at Harry unable to speak. Gandalf spoke up eventually though. "Harry is right, we should never have asked one so young to bear our greatest burden."

Alex snorted in amusement and everyone turned to look at him in surprise. "Alex." Harry warned.

"What does he find amusing?" Gimli grumbled eyeing the other Lamia. Even if they all trusted Harry that didn't carry over to the others so easily.

"It simply reminds me of another young man I once knew." Alex grinned at Harry who rolled his eyes and stood fully and placed a comforting hand of Frodo's shoulder.

"Who do you mean?" Aragorn asked. "You cannot mean Harry."

"I was young once, Aragorn." Harry retorted with a smirk. "Though I am not sure I even remember it."

"You remember every moment, Harry." Alex pointed out without emotion.

"What is he talking about?" Pippin asked. Harry eyed them all before shrugging.

"When I was young, it was expected of me to fight and kill an evil man who was slowly taking over the world." Harry told them.

"By young he means in his teenage years and by evil man he means somebody very similar to Nacraemeus." Alex stepped in before Harry could downplay it. "He was forced, through pressure and a screwed up ideal of what was the right thing to do, to fight a man six times his age."

"Thank you Alex!" Harry snapped lightly though he wasn't really angry. "I think they get the idea."

"You understand." Frodo spoke so quietly that it was probably only Harry, Alex and Legolas that heard his words.

Harry knelt and turned to him. "I understood what we were sending you into from the beginning, Frodo, and I am sorry for that."

"I don't blame anyone for it." Frodo told him. "It had to be done and I was the only person to do it."

"You were the best person." Harry nodded and gently leaned forwards to kiss his forehead before he turned and did the same to Sam. "You too, Sam, have shown qualities far beyond that of many that walk this world."

"What are those?" Frodo asked in awe staring up into the sky. Harry turned from Sam and slowly stood. He glanced briefly up at the thirteen other Nuuruhuine circling the city.

"Minas Tirith has gained itself a few sky-born watchers." Aragorn spoke up.

"Frodo? You remember I mentioned the Nuuruhuine to you?" Frodo nodded. "There are twenty in all. Nineteen Lamia that came with me from our old world. Alex is one and those are thirteen of the others."

"Can I meet them all?" Frodo asked eagerly. Harry smiled at him.

"I do not believe they will all fit on this balcony." Alex commented dryly before stepping forwards. "You will meet them all in turn. For the time being let me formally introduce myself. My name is Alexander Corvill."

"He didn't come with me to Rivendell when we first met." Harry told Frodo before seeing the small Hobbit looking quickly between the two of them. "Alex and I have been together for more than two millennia."

The Hobbits looked between them both in unhidden awe while the others, baring Gandalf, were a bit better at hiding their feelings. None were disgusted at the idea though. "This is the one that you rescued from Minas Tirith?" Legolas spoke up smoothly.

"Ah yes." Harry chuckled. "I admit that was us."

"I don't understand." Frodo frowned.

"When we first arrived Alex was found and captured by Gondor. I laid siege to the city and almost completely destroyed it." Harry sighed. "It was the first move in two thousand years of war."

"That they started." Alex said bluntly with a flicker of his wings.

"A war that is now over." Harry returned without missing a beat. Alex was the only one of the Nuuruhuine that really had a personal grudge against the Gondorians but that was long in the past. Harry turned back to the guests eyeing Aragorn pointedly. "I don't expect to have to search for you in the morning. You'll be where you have to be or I'll tie you up at the Citadel Doors."

Gandalf laughed. "Indeed, preparations are complete and tomorrow the King of Gondor will sit upon his throne."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Harry stood in his full glory in the open doors of the Citadel, before him stretched the outcropping of rock that led to the Seat at the far end. It was filled with over a thousand men and Harry could smell mostly humans but also Elves, Hobbits and a single Dwarf. The only clear space in sight was the steps up to where Harry stood and the area around the White Tree of Gondor. Crouched lightly on the top of the Citadel were the fourteen winged figures of the Nuuruhuine, watching over the event but not actually an integral part of it.

However, Harry was to officially present Aragorn to the Gondorians as a part of the Morchaint Council. He drew himself up and a signal twitch of his wings drew everybody's attention. "Peoples of Middle-Earth, Men of Gondor!" Harry spoke calmly but his voice spread easily across the crowd. "I present to you, your King! Aragorn, son of Arathorn."

Harry stepped to the side and his wings folded down onto his back to show Aragorn as he stepped out of the shadows of the Citadel doors. Harry smiled at him and saluted him with the normal fist to his collar bone. The lurking figures on the roof of the Citadel stood and flapped their wings giving the same salute. There was a thump as the Citadel Guards saluted with their halberds and the Ceremony began.

The Gondorian Lord chosen for the occasion went through the ceremony and under the bright noon light over Minas Tirith Aragorn wore the crown of Gondor for the first time in his life. As Aragorn moved forwards down the steps to walk among his people Harry felt a touch at his mind. He let the familiarity of Archie's mental touch brush over his mind.

'_We need to talk.'_ Archie told him. There was a flutter of feathers and wings as the rest of the Nuuruhuine dropped from the top of the Citadel without their wings. Numerous soft thuds made the crowd gasp and back away from the them but at Harry's gesture he and his friends slipped into the Citadel and into the Throne room.

"What is it Archie?" Harry asked as he saw his troubled expression.

"There's an army forming East of the Withered Heath." Archie told them all referring to a heath land embraced by the forked Eastern tip of the Grey Mountains. "Undead and human."

"How big?" Harry asked.

"I don't know. Micha's message was one way and short." Archie shook his head.

"Let's go." Harry moved forwards and the others formed a circle in the middle of the room. Their wings came out to protect them more and Harry glanced at Crysta briefly who nodded back. A line of fire erupted around them flickering weakly along the floor in a faintly floral pattern. Harry shuttered his eyes and reached out with his mind joining with Archie as everyone else did before letting Archie strike North towards Mirkwood where Micha and Vesser were with the Elves.

He opened his eyes to find himself in the void between minds once again. They were all standing in a loose circle including Noman, Mika and Anthony who were in Dras Arget. "Harry." Micha sighed in relief.

"Where did the army come from?" Harry asked.

"Most of it poured out of the Iron Hills but more than four tenths of it came in from everywhere in the Eastern plains." Micha told them seriously. "And it's still growing."

"Damnit!" Harry snapped. "We knew it was going to happen sooner or later."

"Harry, somebody just tripped my defences." Crysta spoke up with a grin.

"Defenceless indeed." Harry chuckled before turning back to Micha and Vesser. "Any idea where they plan to go?"

"A party of Rhun humans were killed on the River Running, south of Erebor. They were porting bridging equipment." Vesser spoke up. "The elves are patrolling the River down their Eastern borders."

"Then he plans to go through Mirkwood and through the Gap of Domia." Harry sighed. "Leave the army in Mirkwood to help the Elves defend their home."

"It's futile." Micha stared at Harry with something bordering on sorrow. "The army is already over one hundred thousand."

"Where did he get an army of that size?" Alex spoke up as the group hissed.

"A lot of what I could see consisted of old undead but also over thirty thousand Orc undead as well as their living compatriots." Vesser told them.

"They had to go somewhere." Archie chuckled though he was clearly not amused. "How many do you think he can gather before he marches on Mirkwood?"

"A hundred and fifty thousand, and more to follow him." Vesser growled low in his throat. "They will strike through Mirkwood and slaughter everyone there."

"Draw the Elves back to Domia. Once the main army arrives in Dras Arget hold them ready. Domia can't hold indefinitely against that kind of force." Harry sighed. "We'll hold them at Domia long enough to empty Morchaint into Dras Arget and make our stand there."

"The Lamia can evacuate Domia after we have cut down the numbers a bit." Alex nodded.

"We'll fly up to Domia." Harry told Vesser and Micha. "How long do we have?"

"A week and a half after they march if the Dwarves don't slow them down. Three weeks maybe if they try to." Vesser assured him. "They won't march though until he's gathered more."

"So we have a few weeks." Harry nodded. "I owe it to Frodo and Sam to see them safely back to Rivendell."

"I'll ride with you." Alec promised.

"It's settled then." Archie nodded and they all started to withdraw. Harry opened his eyes and saw his fourteen friends ranged before him in their circle. As one they folded their wings and turned outwards to face the ten foot wall of fire that surrounded them. Harry could just make out Gandalf standing on the other side and wondered if he'd tried to dispel the flames. They vanished down into the ground as Crysta put them out.

"Not so defenceless then?" Aragorn asked. He was still wearing his formal black coronation robes and had the crown on his head. On his arm was Arwen looking as royal as she ever did with her father Elrond on her other side.

Legolas, Gimli, Frodo, Sam, Pippin and Merry were also in the room as well as Faramir and Eowyn. Harry spun on the spot and his wings vanished into his back. "I'm sorry to ruin your Coronation Aragorn but my friends have to be leaving."

As one his thirteen friends turned and slipped out of the room. They'd fly North as fast as possible in case something unexpected happened. "What's happened, Harry?" Gandalf asked.

"A war is starting that will make the Battle of Pellennor Fields look like a small bar brawl." Harry hissed and strolled across the room before turning. Alex was watching him with a sad face.

"Nacraemeus?" Aragorn frowned.

"He's marshalling an army to march on Mirkwood." Harry spat. "More than a hundred and fifty thousand undead, humans and Orcs."

"My home?" Legolas gasped.

"I'm sorry, my friend." Harry sighed.

"We've advised your father to retreat to Morchaint along with your kin." Alex told him.

"I'm sorry my friends but our time together is at an end." Harry sighed before turning to the four Hobbits. "If you are willing to leave now, Alex and I will see you safely back to Rivendell and the Elves will see you home."

"We're coming with you." Aragorn spoke up.

"No, my young King. Your place is here." Harry told him. "Legolas and Gimli are welcome to come with us of course. It is their homes in peril."

"We want to fight." Pippin spoke up.

"Absolutely out of the question!" Harry snapped but softened as his little friend recoiled. "I won't put you in a war again."

"We want to." Merry came to his friend's defence. Frodo and Sam both nodded.

"No!" Harry shook his head.

"They'll be safe in Dras Arget, Harry." Gandalf spoke up.

"Not if Dras Arget falls to Nacraemeus." Harry rounded on the old Wizard.

"Is that possible?" Frodo asked.

"A hundred and fifty thousand men." Harry told him. "That's three times what he's thrown at us before."

"Dras Arget can stand against those numbers, Harry." Gandalf told him.

"I know it can." Harry snapped before beginning to pace. Eventually he stopped and rounded on the entire group. "We're going to Rivendell anyway, we can decide on the way."

"Do you have to leave today?" Aragorn looked wishfully at him.

"Sorry, Aragorn. I can't afford to wait." Harry shook his head. "A word of advise, talk to Theoden and build up your armies. If Dras Arget falls then Nacraemeus will turn on the human countries."

Aragorn nodded. Alex stepped forwards and shook his hand before turning to the others. "Harry and I will prepare the horses while you all say goodbye. Meet us at the seventh gate once you are ready to leave."

Harry hugged Aragorn briefly before following his husband from the room. They made for the stables after finding Calamy and asking him to arrange for two weeks worth of supplies to be made ready. They met the others at the seventh gate with two Morchaint horses, Shadowfax and two Elvin horses that Elrond had brought down with him.

Arwen was remaining in Minas Tirith to be with Aragorn but Elrond would ride back with them which was useful since they'd need the horses even with the eight Citadel Guards that arrived on their horses at Aragorn's orders to escort the group to Rivendell.

Harry smirked at Denver and Calamy who were both part of the escort and probably not through an oversight on Aragorn's part.

Harry jumped up onto his saddle as Alex got up onto the second Morchaint horse. Gandalf slipped onto Shadowfax while Legolas and Gimli managed to mount the first Elvin steed. Elrond took the last Elvin horse. "Come on Pippin."

The Hobbit grinned happily that Harry hadn't changed with regards to him and Harry quickly hoisted him up in front of him. Alex offered his hand to Merry who took it without much hesitation. Frodo mounted up in front of Gandalf while Sam was offered the front of Elrond's saddle.

"How will you keep in contact with us?" Aragorn asked from the ground.

Harry frowned but turned his gaze to Arwen and shuttered his eyes as he reached out to her mind. Familiar in it's similarity to her father's. "_Arwen?"_

"_I can hear you."_ Her voice was the same as if she had spoken out loud. She had some skill in this.

"I can speak to Arwen though only for a short time. She is not old enough to put up with our minds." Harry told him. Aragorn stared at his beloved in surprise and she flashed him a smile of amusement. "Be safe Aragorn."

"Harry." Aragorn stepped forwards. Harry grabbed his wrist and shook arms with the man. "Keep them all safe for me?"

"Of course." Harry nodded and turned his horse to face the gate. He threaded his left arm around Pippin before reaching out with his mind to his horse. It leapt forwards at the unspoken command and Shadowfax followed without hesitation. Alex was next followed by the two Elvin horses and eight Citadel Guards even though two were Lamia.

As they ran across Pellennor Fields the Guards blended in with the party more. They obviously knew what Calamy and Denver were since they were deferring to them when dealing with Harry and Alex though they were clearly more awed by them than scared. Obviously Aragorn had chosen them well.

They rode Northwest up through Rohan but they didn't stop at Edoras. It was at a small village in Dunland on their fourth day of riding when Harry reigned in his horse just before nightfall. "We'll turn off here and stay at the inn for the night." Harry told the group. "Rest the horses properly before we make for Rivendell."

"I agree." Gandalf nodded before leading the group down the gentle slope towards the dark village. Harry found it strange as they walked through the main central street that there were no lights on and that it was so quiet. He drew Pippin into him protectively and the Hobbit, previously oblivious to the danger, tensed up.

"Gandalf!" Harry hissed. "I'm not sure about this place."

Gandalf pulled Shadowfax to a halt and turned to look at Harry only to see his friend was eyeing everything very carefully. Alex, Calamy and Lucus were also looking rather nervous.

Harry suddenly smelt it. There was death in the air. It was only a slight taint but it was there. His wings flared and his horse reared up even as the shadows vanished and shapes lurched out at them from every direction. Harry's wings sent a couple flying away and one of the figures' head went rolling. The body scrambled back up and Pippin cried out in horror. This was the first time the Hobbits had seen one of the undead.

Harry's horse, trained as it was trampled another of the bodies even as Harry pulled his sword and took off the head of another one. The battle seemed to blur and Harry slowly made his way through the carnage to the Gondorians, two of which had been unhorsed. Alex had already put Merry with them and Harry leapt from his own horse and flared his wings before he landed, letting the Gondorians protect the four Hobbits and the horses in the eve of a building.

Harry's swords flashed out all around him carving swathes in the hundreds of undead pouring out of the side streets. Alex was at his side using small blasts of electricity along his broadsword to fry the undead and keep them down in the same way that green magic glowed along Harry's swords.

"Harry!" Gandalf cried from the middle of a swarm of undead. Legolas, Elrond and Gimli were with him while Calamy and Denver were protecting the Gondorians. "The Hobbits!"

Alex and Harry turned to the Gondorians only to see that the four Hobbits had vanished. "Harry! They're gone!"

"Down the Alley!" Gandalf yelled over the fighting. Harry turned his head but he couldn't see anything. He leapt forwards his wings letting him glide over the fighting though he had to drop down to the ground to navigate the alleyway. He heard a scuffle amongst the sounds of battle and he tilted his head to listen better.

"Stay away from him!" Sam yelled and Harry heard somebody being shoved and a short cry of pain that he recognised as being from Sam.

"No!" Frodo hissed but then a grunt of pain as he was obviously restrained. Harry dashed through the alleyways between the buildings listening through the echoing sounds as he tracked them down. There were more grunts as the Hobbits struggled and the sounds of men grunting as they held them.

Harry dashed around the corner and saw five men wearing the cloaks of Necromancers. Three were holding Frodo, Pippin and Merry. Sam was on the ground slumped at the bottom of a wall.

One of the men was simply watching, concentrating on something elsewhere, directing the Undead that they were all powering undoubtedly. The last man was holding a knife directly over Frodo's heart through the torn shirt. His death would direct his life energy directly into the Necromancer. Harry swept forwards, his wings surrounding the man closest to him. He died instantly as Harry's sword cut through his brain. His body hitting the floor warned the others and in an instant the leader with the knife swept around to face Harry and blanched.

Harry bared his fangs at him with a hiss and blurred as he struck sending the man into the wall where he fell to the floor with a snapped neck. The last three pulled themselves up and drew blades to press against the necks of the Hobbits.

Harry folded his wings and let his blades fall to his sides thought he didn't let go of the grips. "Don't take another step." The one holding Frodo ordered.

"You won't move." Harry's eyes flashed and his words cut through them all forcing them to do as he willed. Their muscles seized up and their eyes became panicked as they realised they no longer had any free will. Harry didn't even blink as he magic held them to his will.

The one holding Frodo realised their fate before the others worked it out and his eyes took on a pleading look as his air began to run out. Without the ability to move their lungs they were slowly suffocating. Frodo pulled out of the man's grip and tumbled down to Sam's side with shaking limbs. His capture still stood in his odd position holding his knife across a throat that wasn't there anymore.

Pippin and Merry slid out of their own captors arms at Harry's beckoning and they ducked into his sides. Harry opened his wings to shroud them both without taking his eyes from the last three Necromancers. Slowly their eyes went dead and the sound of battle vanished behind them. Harry released the magic and the three bodies slumped to the ground like puppets with their strings cut.

He slowly folded his wings again and made his way to Sam's side. He checked him over with his hands before touching Sam's sleeping mind with his own to check for damage he could feel with his hands. He smiled up at Frodo. "A small bump on the head is all, Frodo."

"Hobbits!" Gandalf cursed as he came around the corner and saw the scene. "Saw something did you?"

Pippin looked down at his feet. "We wanted to help. Harry told us before that if the Necromancers were killed the undead died too."

"And you thought you could take on five Necromancers?" Gandalf shook his head at them. "Never doubt the heart of a Hobbit!"

"Let's get away from here." Harry said as he stood and lifted Sam into his arms. "Alex, burn the town to the ground."

"Of course." Alex nodded.

Harry led them back to the main street to where Legolas, Elrond, Gimli and the Gondorians waited with the horse. Calamy and Denver were in the air over the town searching for anything else. They mounted up quickly and left through the piles of undead covering the town. The remains of the town's population. They stopped at the top of a nearby hill and looked back down at the village just as fire leapt up as Alex, Calamy and Denver methodically set light to the thatched buildings one after another.

Harry turned to Gandalf. "Nacraemeus set a trap knowing that I'd come this way with the Hobbits."

"He can't have expected this to kill you." Gandalf shook his head.

"You could have survived this alone?" One of the Gondorians gasped.

Harry turned to look at him and the other five guards and nodded slowly. "They were fresh dead, barely a week old. I could have drank from them as I killed them and healed as I fought."

"That's impossible!" The men stared at him more in shock than disgust.

"Your Steward has always downplayed the skills of the Nuuruhuine into nothing more than animals." Elrond spoke up.

Harry turned to the man. "I'd have you take an order from me. Will you do it?"

The man drew himself up. "I recognise you for what you truly are." Legolas and Gimli tensed up but the man saluted him. "A being of honour and courage. I will follow your orders."

"Ride to Edoras with all haste. Alert King Theoden of what has happened here. This was a trap for us, there may be other towns massacred in this way." Harry told him.

"At once, my Lord." The man turned to his comrades and began sorting out enough supplies to carry on his horse for the days hard ride to Edoras. The man left only a few minutes later.

"We ride through the night. I won't rest this close to this death." Harry told them as Alex, Calamy and Denver rejoined them. Nobody argued.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

They rode north for another four days leaving Elrond in Trollshaw to return to Rivendell. After the trap set in that village he wasn't willing to leave Frodo, Sam, Pippin and Merry to the rigors of the outside world. Dras Arget would protect them unless it fell and if that came to pass then the Shire wouldn't hold out for that much longer.

They came upon Edoc'sil not long before sunset on the ninth day of travel. Pippin woke from his stupor in front of Harry as Frodo spoke up loudly from his place in front of Gandalf.

"What is that?"

They all looked up and Harry smiled taking in the Unconquerable Wall that stretched out before them. "That is the Wall of the Dead." One of the Gondorians spoke up.

"How long is it?" Pippin asked as the group came to a halt about a mile from the hundred and fifty foot tall wall of stone. Moss grew up its side making it look half like a natural cliff. It stretched out beyond the horizon to the distant shadows of the misty mountain to the east and then off into the west as far as they could see.

"It stretches from Mount Gram fifty leagues to the East to the North Downs fifty leagues to the West." Gandalf told them all. "A true master piece of engineering."

"It's just a wall." One of the Gondorians laughed though there was doubt in his voice.

"It was never designed as a wall." Harry told them loudly.

"What else could it be?" Merry asked.

"Let us get through the Dead Gates and you will soon see." Harry spurred his horse on at a gallop and they quickly came under the great wall of stone. Harry, Alex, Calamy and Denver all flared their wings as they approached the Gate and with a resounding thump it cracked open and began swinging inwards.

Harry folded his wings again and together the ten horses went through the open gate and into Morchaint. "Welcome to Morchaint." Alex announced for everybody's benefit.

As they came out from under the wall the rest of Edoc'sil became obvious. About two miles before them was a high walled city maybe three miles wide. Out from behind the walls were perhaps a hundred towers either with pointed spires or thick squared battlements. Stretching out from the wall on their right was a long bridge reaching out with a hundred ornate arches all the way to the city.

"Where is the city's gate?" Gimli asked looking out across the couple of miles to the two hundred foot wall.

"We are standing at it." Harry told him. "The city itself is only accessible from this point."

"How do you get horses and carts inside?" One of the Gondorians asked. "And what is the point?"

"There are cranes on the walls of the city for hoisting up goods." Harry told him simply. "And there used to be a Gate in the wall of the city but it was filled in when building of the Wall was completed. Try to picture attacking a city when you have to charge for over two miles in plain sight of the wall and it's weapons only to find that the bridge can be removed."

"Removed?" Merry asked staring up at the arches a hundred and fifty feet above them.

"You will see." Harry told him. "As well as the original purpose of the Wall."

Harry turned along the wall. Three humans stepped out of a large open door in the back of the wall and greeted Harry with respectful salutes. Harry passed them and started his horse up a broad set of wide steps that twisted five times as it climbed the inside of the wall. Gimli, Legolas and the Gondorians whistled lowly under their breathes as they noticed the killing zone they were having to climb. Hundreds of windows looked down on each stretch.

"Has this ever been used?" Frodo asked probably imagining the slaughter filling the steps.

"Once." Harry told him before glancing at their Gondorian escort. "Unsuccessfully."

"I can see why." One of the escort muttered.

"There is a lot of blood between Morchaint and Gondor." Alex spoke quietly. "Fortunately these men are not old enough to remember the height of Gondor's reign when they were powerful enough to get an army here."

The men looked ready to argue but Harry stepped in. "Enough of this. We are both old enough to remember these events and the atrocities on both sides. I won't hear it talked about again."

Harry spurred his horse around the last bed and quickly came across the second gate on the top level of the wall. It was designed without the room to get a run up with a battering ram. The door cracked open with the sound of chains running through grooves and it opened towards them. The others were surprised.

"How do you get the door to open like that?" One of the Gondorians asked.

"The doors you see are only half of the whole." Harry told him without looking back. "The mechanism is on the section in the walls. No amount of battering will open them."

Through that door was another twist in the path before they were flooded with light as they emerged up onto the top of the wall. Only the Lamia and Gandalf weren't shocked by the sight.

"You built a canal on top of a wall?" Gimli frowned.

"No." Alex laughed. "We built an aqueduct."

"What's that?" Frodo asked.

"A bridge for water. It brings water from Mount Gram to the city before emptying out in the North Downs rivers." Harry explained. "It was never meant for defence but when we realised that the Gondorians might attack it we built the wall in front of it to protect it and then seeing the advantage in forcing an attacking enemy across such a structure we removed the cities walls."

Harry led them to the bridge and pulled Pippin back when he tried to lean down to see over the side. The canal was probably twenty feet wide with a path on either side except on their side there was nothing else but on the other side a human high wall ran along the side of the canal with battlements and windows. On both sides there were a few people travelling back and forth from the city to the wall. Preparations were being made to defend the city.

"This is impressive." One of the Gondorians told him respectfully.

"Morchaint is many years ahead of the rest of Middle-Earth." Gandalf informed them. "Both in architecture and weapons of war."

"How far?" Pippin asked.

Harry and Alex refused to answer. Even Gandalf didn't know exactly how far ahead Earth was. "That's the age old question. One that the Nuuruhuine have ever refused to answer, even to their own people." Calamy grinned at Harry's look of reproach.

"I don't understand." Frodo frowned and craned in his saddle to look at the Lamia spy.

"He means, Frodo, that our people are not aware of the technological level of the world that the Nuuruhuine were sent here from." Harry told him. "It matters not."

"Why not?" One of the Gondorians spoke up.

"Because this world is incapable of supplying the necessary materials to wage that kind of war." Harry snapped.

"What kind of war?" The man asked.

"The war where millions are killed with one weapon." Harry snapped and rounded on him with his fangs. "Our world was killing itself with wars."

"Hence why Harry never liked the war between our nations." Alex spoke up as Harry turned back to the front. They moved on in silence, travelling sometimes in single file to pass troops that marched along the toll path with respectful looks at Harry and Alex.

They paused at one section and Harry turned to the Gondorians. "If an army reaches this section it is impossible to continue."

"Why?" One asked.

Harry motioned to the two towers that guarded this section, one of either side with a broad bridge linking the tops. They had no doors but they were fierce in appearance. "This section we are now standing on lifts up to lie flat against the towers like a draw bridge."

"I see no chains." The man pointed out.

"It works like a pendulum." Harry told them. "Like the doors in the Wall this section continues passed the towers at the base allowing it to be pivoted up."

The men raised their eyebrows up in surprise but they were obviously impressed. "Do you damn up the canal?" One asked.

"From the towers onwards." Harry nodded. "And the river can be dammed at several stages along the Wall and then released from hidden chambers inside to wash the top of the Wall clear."

"You never leave things with the basics do you?" The same Gondor pointed out.

"Not if I can help it." Harry told him. "Nacraemeus is the same."

"That inspires confidence." He muttered though Harry heard him all the same. Harry led his horse under the towers. As they passed under the sharp points of two Portcullises were clear to see in the arched ceilings of the tunnel.

They rode in silence for the rest of the journey and eventually were allowed entry through the twin Gates and bridged entry of the City Wall. "We'll get something hot to eat and a nights good rest before we head out again. It's a full days ride from here to Domia and a half day again to reach the city itself. We'll rest at the foot of the Western Escarpment but I'd suggest getting your rest."

Harry led them first to the stables and then to the baths and then to the Citadel to eat and sleep. The morning would entail a short voyage on one of the goods lifts with their horses to reach the Blood Plains below them and then the journey north. Harry, Alex, Calamy and Denver slipped out while the others ate to find willing donors but Harry noticed how easily the others pretended they were doing otherwise.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two mornings later**

When they reached the foot of the escarpment their guests finally realised what Harry had meant by needing a whole half day to climb it. When the sun rose on the last day of their journey the day was already two hours through. They were close in to the side of the mountains and the shadows were long. They hadn't been able to see their path in the dying light of the previous night but now the zigzagging slope was obvious in its entirety.

"What is that?" Sam gasped staring up high above them to the East. Harry tilted his head though he already knew what the young Hobbit was looking at. On the south side of the dip in the mountains that represented the Gap of Domia was a single mountain with a tower that seemed to defy all laws of gravity. It started out as quite wide with a dozen huge towers surrounding the base before those linked up with the main structure. "Is that Domia?"

"A good guess, Master Samwise." Alex smiled at him. "That is the Eye of Death. The great Watch Tower of Domia."

"The city of Domia lies on the north side of that mountain." Harry pointed at the mountain the tower perched upon. "Climb to the top of that tower and you stand on the highest point in Middle-Earth."

"On a clear day you can see that Tower from the Lonely Mountain." Gimli told them.

"It doesn't look that high." Pippin spoke up. Alex chuckled and Harry hugged the Hobbit to make sure he didn't take offence.

"You cannot see the top, Pippin." Harry glanced up again. Fully a third of the tower was hidden by the clouds.

"How that is possible is beyond my comprehension." Gimli grunted. "And that is saying something."

Harry tilted his head at the Dwarf at the compliment. As he rode slowly up the Western escarpment he thought back to the fifty years it had taken to build that structure. From it you could see all the way out across Mirkwood and the Lonely Mountain and to the borders of Nacraemeus's land. And with Harry's sight even to Caradhras in the south.

Harry led them up to the Gap and by mid afternoon they were riding across the valley known as the Gap of Domia towards the city. It sat nestled into the mountain almost like Minas Tirith except each of the tiers were straight along the side of the valley forming six parallel walls to fight from. It was built primarily as a watch post for the Gap. A lot of the defences were inside the Mountain preventing entrance to the Tower. No force had ever attempted to take the city since it's main defence was the two escarpments where for an entire half day an attacking army could be pinned down by fire from above.

The Gate was simple in it's design. Two high towers with a connecting bridge hung over it in normal Morchaint design while the gate itself was thick Mythril, ornately designed to resemble a Dragon's face.

Harry met Vesser and Micha who appeared out of the shadows just on the inside of the outer wall. Harry took one look at their faces and knew there was a problem. "I think you'd better look for yourself."

"The tower?" Harry guessed correctly and the two nodded. "Show the others up the usual way."

"Where are you going?" Pippin looked frightened that they were about to be left in this strange and daunting place without Harry to protect them. Harry wasn't surprised though, Domia was not really designed like a normal city. It was built solely to defend the pass without the normal comforts of lifestyle.

"I'm going to fly up to the top of the Tower." Harry hugged him gently before he slid off the saddle. "You'll join me up there in a few hours."

"Why can't we come up now?" Pippin asked.

"We will leave as soon as the horses are stabled and you have all eaten." Alex assured them. "It will take several hours to reach the top."

"I think I'll pass on walking up that many stairs." Gimli grunted looking up at the towering structure, lost in it's entirety. He slipped slightly in the saddle as he became dizzy and Legolas was forced to steady him.

"There are lifts, Gimli." Gandalf told him.

"Lifts?" Gimli asked.

"Like cranes." Alex told him before nodding at Harry. Harry spread his wings and bunched his muscles before jumping straight up into the air. He landed smoothly on top of one of the nearby barracks before leaping into the air again with strong beats of his wings.

Harry settled down on the top of the tower almost half an hour of steady spiralling later and knew that his friends would only just be beginning their climb. He was greeted by a rather sombre group of Lamia and Vampires. Their humans didn't tend to come up here all that often since it was very cold up this high with an almost constant wind beating against the east of the structure and because their eyes couldn't see as far as their Vampire and Lamia comrades. Harry settled gently and folded his wings before pulling them in completely.

"Stand up." Harry told the crouched forms of the five watch men gently and they did as they were told.

"My Lord." The Vampire that greeted him was the oldest there. By the smell of him he was around five hundred to six hundred years old though Harry didn't remember him. "We have yet to meet. I am Gelderan. I was made Warden of Domia just over three hundred years ago."

"You were deposed?" Harry asked. There was no way that Alexi would have allowed a turned Vampire to hold such a position.

"I was, Lord Jesu placed me back as Warden after your awakening." Gelderan told him.

"At least some of the old world remains." Harry nodded at him before turning to look out of the East. The top of the tower was flat for the most part with only a spiral staircase coming up out of the middle. A four foot wall ran around the outside with small mythril images sat upon it to show the direction of major landmarks or cities. He stood behind the duel image of Mirkwood and the Lonely mountain and looked out over the sky even though he'd had a slightly better image when he'd flown in. All around them was clouds except for a break to the North which showed the ice glaciers of the Northern Wastes. "Could you see the army from here?"

"We could not, Duke Corvill." Gelderan shook his head though Harry didn't turn to look at him. "The clouds cleared a while back and we came up here from the balconies to take a look. We could see all the way to the Lonely Mountains but there isn't any sign of the army."

Harry knew that in cloudy weather the watch men simply looked out from parts of the tower below the cloud cover unless one of the Lamia with the ability to move the clouds were around. "No sign." Harry muttered. "Where has it gone?"

"The North, my Lord." Gelderan grimaced. Harry turned to look at the ice drifts and frowned. He growled as his Thunderbird came through and the clouds to the west turned a nasty black and the wind picked up between him and the North. It was slow going without creating a massive storm system but he was able to draw the clouds off to the West and reveal the Northern Wastes clearer. He hissed as he saw it.

"That is more than a hundred and fifty thousand." Harry pointed out angrily. The five Lamia and Vampires behind him flinched back at the anger in his voice, feeling the anger coming off of him in waves. The wind picked up and the two Lamia who had been enjoying the wind in their feathers pulled their wings away as the strength of the wind threatened to throw them from the top of the tower.

"Lord Vesser estimated close to half a million. The army stretches all the way back to Iron Hills." Gelderan growled as he forced himself to move up on Harry's right. He'd have a serious headache for getting so close to an angry Nuuruhuine though. "He gathered an army in the eves of the Grey Mountains out of our sights and drew our attention with moves towards the Elves so that we wouldn't have time to draw in the armies of the humans."

Harry stared at the tiny black smudge against the ice fields. It was the peak of summer elsewhere but the fields never completely thawed but it would allow less losses. "He'll lose a number of his human and Orc armies." Harry shook his head.

"And summon them back as undead." Gelderan hissed at his side.

"He's emptied most of the East for this." Harry sighed and shook his head. "Has word been sent to Mirkwood?"

"They were already withdrawing to Domia when this deception was discovered." Gelderan assured him. "They are coming up the Eastern escarpment with the Dwarves."

"With the Dwarves?" Harry frowned.

"I believe they allowed themselves to double up." Gelderan smirked. "Their King obviously understood the need for haste."

"What of the Grey Batteries?" Harry asked.

"They are being manned from those in Miril and Domia. Refitted and checked over." Gelderan promised him. "They'll wait until they can all fire and do what damage they can."

Harry waited out the next hour by slowly building up his storm hanging over Morchaint. He was brought from his concentration by the sound of numerous footsteps coming up the central stairs. He turned as the last set stepped out onto the exposed roof. "Welcome to Middle-Earth." Harry told them with a forced smile.

"How bad is it?" Gandalf asked.

"Take a look for yourself." Harry told him and pointed to the clearing sky to the North.

Gandalf walked passed Harry to the edge without fear and the others followed with more nervous expressions. "That can't be." Gandalf gasped.

"What?" Pippin asked trying to see over the top of the wall. Harry moved the four Hobbits to a bench against the North wall and they climbed up onto the top along with Gimli.

Legolas frowned as he stared at the army over two hundred leagues from them. "I see over a hundred thousand in that cloud break."

"The army stretches back to Iron Hills." Harry told them without emotion.

"How many, Harry?" Gandalf turned to him.

"About a half million." Harry said simply before turning to Gelderan. "Send messages to Rivendell and Rohan. We need every man they can spare. And tell Lord Archie to contact Arwen in Minas Tirith with the same message."

"At once, my Lord." Gelderan nodded at one of the Lamia who took a running jump from the edge of the wall and flared his wings out as he began to plummet. Pippin and Merry ran to the other wall to lean over to watch and Harry grabbed the backs of their tunics to pull them back.

"You two can't fly like he can." Harry told them smoothly.

"What can you do against such a force?" Legolas asked.

"Pull everything back to Dras Arget. Completely empty Domia, Miril, Edoc'sil, Serke Andon and all the towns." Harry ordered Gelderan who nodded at one of the Vampires who began the long jog down the stairs.

"What good will it do pulling all the civilians into the city?" One of the Gondorians asked.

"That is the difference between our nations, good friend." Alex spoke simply. "Only children are civilians here. They will be protected within Dras Arget."

"How many can you marshal?" Gandalf asked.

"Half that of Nacraemeus." Harry told them bluntly. "More when the army returns to Dras Arget from the sea. Mirkwood and the Lonely Mountain are currently coming up the Eastern Escarpment. We'll ride back to Dras Arget with them and the entirety of Domia."

"Will we beat them to Dras Arget?" Gandalf asked.

"Probably." Harry shrugged. "The Grey Batteries will buy us some time."

"Grey Batteries?" Gimli asked.

"Over five hundred ballistae, trebuchets and catapults built into the northern side of the Grey Mountains. Linked by tunnels you would envy." Harry told the Dwarf. "Loses not withstanding, it will force Nacraemeus further north into the wastes."

"Won't they freeze?" Frodo asked eyeing the Glaciers.

"You don't understand the danger of this army." Harry shook his head. "A full third of it is alive and count as a second force when they die as the Necromancers will respawn them. The cold can't kill the undead."

"Hopefully some of those Necromancers will die though." Alex reassured them all.

"What is that?" Gandalf eyed Harry's storm.

"Oh, I'd forgotten about that." Harry laughed.

"Is that yours?" Legolas eyed him and he grinned.

"It's rather hard to walk through a blizzard." Harry announced before turning to Alex. "See them down across the Plain and begin preparations for defending the city. We pull out all the stops."

"It'll take time to do it all." Alex warned.

"I know that but it's now or never." Harry sighed.

"What are you talking about?" Gandalf asked.

"You haven't seen everything that we brought with us in our heads from our old world." Harry laughed before jumping onto the wall between Pippin and Merry, he flared his wings and dove off. He heard a startled cry from behind him and knew Pippin and Merry had probably tried to watch him dive. Chances were that Alex had caught them in the same way he had.

Half way to the clouds his form rippled and exploded outwards and an instant later huge golden wings caught the air and his Thunderbird form skimmed through the top layer of clouds. As his wings touched the top layer black began to spread from them as the white and grey clouds turned black. The storm forming over Morchaint exploded out over the area and the clouds seemed to rise upwards. They'd be abandoning the tower right about now.

Harry turned the storm's full force northwards at the approaching army. The booms of thunder could be heard all the way across the Ice Bay. Nacraemeus would soon learn that in some things Harry had never changed. He still got pissed off and dangerous when his home was threatened.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	21. The Burning Jewel

The Nuuruhuine

A/N; Getting close to the end now, this chapter isn't the last one, there will be another after this one which will probably include the epilogue. Hope you like.

Chapter 21; The Burning Jewel

**Morchaint – The Blood Plains**

Merry, Pippin, Sam and Frodo rode doubled up with friends. Frodo rode in front of Gandalf as normal, Sam sat in front of Denver, Merry sat in front of Alex who he'd taken a liking to and finally Pippin sat in front of Calamy. Also in their little group were the last five Gondorians sent with them by Aragorn and lastly Gimli doubled up Legolas but around them both in front and behind were thousands of troops. Easily twenty thousand Elves, Dwarves, humans and Vampires marched with them across the rolling fertile ground of Morchaint heading along a twenty metre wide paved highway. At times they passed through villages surrounded in farm land but at other times they headed through open land.

Throughout the first day on their way down the western escarpment and then across the plains and for the entire night and most of the next day a huge storm ripped through the northern sky beyond the mountains that lined their path. It had taken a few hours before the four Hobbits had realised that not all the thunder was from the storm and when asked Gandalf had told them that what they heard was the Grey Batteries.

On the third day the storm began to subside and shift into the east and it was a few more hours before a loud screech scattered the horses, even the Morchaint chargers which were used to the Vampires and Lamia. The group turned around to see a huge bird silhouetted by the rising Eastern sun. It's size unmistakable as anything other than Harry. As it glided down towards them it shimmered and soon a much smaller form took its place as Harry returned to his normal form. His almost black wings locked into place and he landed silently in front of the fellowship with a strained smile.

The Fellowship could only listen on as Harry exchanged a few words with a highly decorated looking Vampire, Gelderan, the Warden of Domia who had been leading the march towards Dras Arget. The words they exchanged were fast and obviously Elvish yet it sounded slightly harsher without the lingering softness that Elves always spoke with. Legolas and Gandalf clearly understood most of it yet even they looked confused by some of the words and phrases. Alex, Calamy and Denver obviously understood the words perfectly.

"It is the language we speak in Morchaint." Alex told them quietly so that all four Hobbits could hear yet not loud enough to interrupt whatever Harry and the Vampire were talking about. "It was originally closer to Elvish yet it has changed over the years."

Harry finally turned to the others and smiled grandly even as the horse he'd ridden since Minas Tirith was led to him. He lightly leapt up onto it and it shifted under his weight for a moment before turning to the side as Harry directed it. Pippin looked at him pleadingly and he simply laughed and held out a hand. Pippin slid off of Calamy's horse with the Lamia's help and ran up to Harry who grabbed his hand and with ridiculous ease pulled the Hobbit up in front of him.

"We have far to travel today before we rest. Tomorrow morning you will get your first sight of Dras Arget." Harry announced to the group as he led them onwards. Gandalf drew up on Harry's side.

"How fares the enemy?" Gandalf asked.

"I slowed them down and probably killed off a lot of their living armies." Harry told him. "But the damage is limited. The Grey Batteries did more damage than I though and they'll continue to force him north as long as they can."

"What of Miril?" Gandalf asked.

"What's Miril?" Frodo asked from in front of Gandalf.

"A large mining city on the western tip of the Grey Mountains." Harry explained. "It is well guarded under the sights of the Grey Batteries."

"Will it be safe?" Gandalf asked. "It lies in the path of the enemy."

"I doubt Nacraemeus will risk his army to take it." Harry told him. "He would have to bring his army into the sights of over thirty ballistae to overrun the city. His losses would be too great. No, Gandalf. Nacraemeus will not delay for Miril, he will head as far west as he can before heading for Dras Arget."

"Will we reach the city first?" Gandalf asked.

"We've been successful in delaying him." Harry nodded. "My best guess is that he will arrive during the night in three days. We'll arrive tomorrow afternoon, so we should have the best part of two days once we arrive."

As they rode on at a comfortable speed the Hobbits fell into a doze but were awoken in the middle of the afternoon by loud horns rolling out from the head of the column which when they looked was just broaching the top of a ridge line almost a mile ahead of them. The column continued on but a rider was seen running back along the far right of the highway. Harry watched silently as the rider reached his side, turned his horse and fell into line.

Words were again exchanged before the Rider blew his horn gently but at such a range it still made the Hobbits wince and the Elvin riders around them jerk in their saddles even as their mounts twitched. "What is it, Harry?" Merry asked as a trio of horns took up a rather staccato signal at the head of the column. A long answering one echoed from the distance and Harry listened to it for a moment before answering him.

"The head of the column came into view of the Greater Crossroads. It's a junction in the Highway that leads to every sector of Morchaint." Harry explained. "We're on the Eastern Highway right now which leads straight from Dras Arget to Domia, almost dead west to east. This crossroads joins the South-Eastern Highway down to Edoc'sil, or the Northern Highway that takes you up to Miril. There's also the South-Western Highway which takes you down the North Downs into old Arnor but that path was used by traders mostly. You should maybe know that one. It cuts down through North-Eastern Shire and to Bree."

"The Ancient Path?" Frodo gasped. "Uncle Bilbo told me about that but I've never seen it."

"It hasn't been used much in the last five hundred years so it's probably rather overgrown." Harry admitted. "At any rate the head of the column saw the armies marching along the South-Eastern Highway from Edoc'sil. I told them to signal them to break at the crossroads."

"What do you mean?" Pippin asked.

"You'll see in a minute when we reach the ridge line." Harry assured him and hugged him to his chest to placate the rather inquisitive Hobbit.

"You spoil all my fun, Harry." Pippin told him.

"You're just impatient, Pip." Merry declared from their left. The others had drawn up closer to listen to Harry's explanation.

"Something you all are when with races such as us." Alex told him eerily. "Patience means something else entirely to immortals."

"It's funny." Sam mused almost to himself. "I rarely think of Harry as being that old. I mean he doesn't look that old."

"As opposed to me, young Hobbit?" Gandalf laughed at Sam's stricken look.

"I could look older if I wished, Sam." Harry told him. "We choose which ages we wish to look."

"That's frightening." Sam bit his lip in thought. "I mean you'd never know if a Lamia child even was a child."

Harry laughed this time in amusement and reached over to Denver's horse to ruffle Sam's hair. "You worry too much, Sam." He told him in amusement. "But as a rule assume anybody that looks younger than twenty _is_ younger than twenty. A Vampire freezes at the age they are bitten and have no choice so none normally take the bite until their twenty-fifth birthday. The Lamia get their wings at sixteen and could choose at any time to freeze their aging yet a growing body has disadvantages so none freeze their age until their twenty-fifth birthday at the very earliest."

"That's a relief." Sam whistled.

"So everybody will look to be twenty-five?" Frodo asked.

"Take those around us." Alex spoke up. "The humans obviously age as they do, they can choose to take the bite anywhere up to their fiftieth birthday so humans normally range from any age while Vampires age from twenty-five to fifty. Lamia can look as they wish so can look up to a human elder but taking an old body has it's disadvantages so most never take a form over forty."

"Why would a human ever choose to wait until they are fifty to be turned into a Vampire?" Merry asked.

Harry shook his head at yet another question but answered anyway. "Lamia and humans can have children. Vampires cannot. Most of the humans wish to have a family before they are turned."

"That puts a more human look on Vampires." One of the Gondorians spoke up suddenly making them all look at him. He blushed slightly but stood his ground. "We've learnt more about your nation in the last few weeks than the entire Gondor nation has in two thousand years."

"We'll have much to talk about when we return home." Another nodded as he spoke. Harry smiled at them gently.

"Ah," Gandalf suddenly grinned. "Here we are."

They had reached the top of the ridge and before them was a rolling valley. Along the bottom of the valley ran a wide paved road that met up with their own one at a large junction. There were five roads into the valley in total. Their own was the straight one that led from their position down the valley but three others linked with it from all directions. At the junction the Highway formed a huge square with a large statue of what they recognised as a Thunderbird in the centre. Around the junction were about a hundred buildings, a town around the junction. What was most eye catching though was the riders on the road at the bottom of the valley, they stretched up the Highway at the bottom of the valley and turned onto their own. Except the army riding in on their left towards the town was at a standstill.

Harry pointed at that Highway and then pointed around in a clockwise direction as he spoke. "That is the South-Eastern Highway to Edoc'sil, the next around it the South-Western road, or the Ancient Path as you call it." He pointed next along the one straight from theirs, "That is the continuation of the Eastern Highway that leads straight to Dras Arget and then the last on our right is the Northern Highway that leads to Miril."

"Who are they?" Merry asked.

"That is the army from Edoc'sil I spoke of. They've broken formation to let us onto the Highway. That's what the signal was for." Harry explained. "Otherwise our army would have to wait."

"How many are down there?" Frodo gasped.

"I can see about eight thousand." Legolas shielded his eyes against the lowering sun.

"According to the reports from Edoc'sil there should be about seventy-thousand in that army. There's always a large force in the south east in case we get trouble from that direction. They'll stretch a long way in both directions." Harry told them all. "We'll rest here tonight though and they'll still be passing in the morning. Our army will join with this one and head for Dras Arget overnight to arrive before us."

"Why not go with them?" Gimli asked.

"They will not stop for night." Harry told him. "The end of that line will only just reach Dras Arget before Nacraemeus becomes a threat."

"What of the Elves and Dwarves?" Gandalf asked.

"I suppose I should give them the choice." Harry sighed before turning and talking to Calamy who nodded and turned his horse around to find the Elvin king, Legolas' father.

"Why do we need to stop for the night?" Gimli asked, "It is not as though we are walking."

"Because, Gimli, I am tired." Harry told him bluntly. Everybody stared at him in shock except for Calamy, Denver and Alex. Even Gandalf looked surprised. The three Lamia would have seen it in his movements and no doubt so would the rest of the Vampires and Lamia who knew the signs. "I have not fed since Edoc'sil which while only a week is enough to cause a problem after driving that storm."

"Why not just feed from one of the humans then?" Gimli asked.

"I will." Harry told him. "Once we have stopped."

"But..." Gimli frowned.

"Gimli!" Gandalf snapped sharply. "We'll stop. I'm feeling rather tired myself in fact and we have time."

Harry inclined his head gently just as Calamy returned. "The Elvin King and Dwarven King say that they will follow the Morchaint Army to Dras Arget and aid in the preparations." Calamy told them all in the common tongue.

Harry nodded and sat in a tense silence for the rest of the journey. Gimli and muttering quietly to Legolas but Harry chose to tune him out and knew they were discussing how tired he possibly could be. When they reached the noise filled clatter of the junction Harry turned his horse aside and the other ten followed off down one of the junctions to a large mansion. Several Lamia, Vampires and human guards greeted them smartly and Harry dismounted in the courtyard in the centre of the sweeping wings that made up the mansion.

He pulled Pippin off gently and set him down before turning to greet the Lamia soldier charged with the protection of the junction. "Welcome to the barracks my Lord." He bowed. The others were surprised that such a beautiful building could be a barracks. It looked more like the home of a King but the signs were there. The entire first floor around the courtyard led to stables and two arches led to paddocks behind. A staircase led up to the second floor in three places.

"We expect your hospitality for the evening, Marshal." Harry told him.

"Of course my Lord. I'll have rooms readied for you.

"A common room may well be better suited, Marshal." Harry told him knowing that after all this time the fellowship would prefer not to be separated especially in such a strange place. Almost as a second thought Harry half turned to the five Gondorians. "Perhaps a second common room?"

"We are happy not to cause a problem, my Lord." The Gondorian nodded at him showing he knew what he meant by the offer and telling him that they weren't worried about sharing a common room with four Lamia.

Harry turned back to the Marshal. "Just one common room then. Hot food, baths for those that wish them and donors."

The Marshal nodded and showed them up into the mansion while grooms took their horses and led them into the stables to be pampered over.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Harry took the blood he needed from one of the human women from the town's people as did Alex, Calamy and Denver. Nobody cared that they were women and the Gondorians weren't there to comment but it would take them several days to fully recover and no human man would be taken from this close to a major battle. They were all used to being Donors anyway even if having blood taken from you by one of the Nuuruhuine was a different business all together.

Harry took a hot bath with Alex so they could clean off their wings before Harry went up onto the roof in light clothing while his own uniform was cleaned. He wore simple heavy cotton trousers and a laced up vest since his wings were out. Alex joined him without a word and a while later the fellowship found them there. They sat around a burning brazier talking together.

Harry only turned when he heard Frodo cough at his side. He turned and saw the Hobbit shivering away from the fire. Harry opened his wings and stepped behind him before curling his wings around them to shield him. "I'd love wings." Frodo whispered quietly reaching out to stroke them. Harry smiled at him. "Harry? Why are you so worried?"

"Noticed that did you?" Harry asked back without answering.

"You're not really too tired to reach Dras Arget are you?" Frodo almost accused.

"No, but if I don't sleep tonight I may be too tired later when I need the energy." Harry told him truthfully.

"What do you need to do?" Frodo asked.

"Nacraemeus." Harry spoke bluntly.

"You have to fight him?" Frodo asked.

"Nobody else can." Harry shrugged. "Even Gandalf cannot fight Nacraemeus. Only I truly understand what he is."

"What is he?" Frodo asked.

"He's been many things in the past." Harry sighed and Frodo almost gasped as the light seemed to fade from Harry's bright eyes. "First he was a son, then a brother to a friend, then an ally in war." Harry's voice was soft as he spoke but then a rather harsh edge trickled into it as he continued. "Then a warrior for a cause, then a slave to greed and finally an enemy. He hunted and killed Vampires first as a human and then as a Necromancer. Always searching for the best way to achieve it until he became what he is today."

"Can he be turned back into what he was?" Frodo asked.

"I doubt any of that person is left." Harry shook his head. "It is the choices we make that form who we are, Frodo. You chose to fight a war that had never touched your home. You chose to risk your life for millions of people you have never met. All of that makes you a hero, somebody that can be looked up to and loved. Nacraemeus has made choices as well, yet his choices were not for the benefit of others but for the benefit of himself. That is why I must kill him."

"Can you kill him?" Frodo asked.

"We shall see when the battle is joined at Dras Arget." Harry told him.

"That's why you need rest now?" Frodo realised. Harry nodded slowly and Frodo jumped forwards to hug Harry's waist. Harry wrapped his wings around the Hobbit for a moment before pulling him away to look into his eyes.

"There will be a ship at harbour at Dras Arget, Frodo. If the battle turns bad or the wall falls you must do something for me." Harry told him and placed a finger on his lips when Frodo began to complain about what he was obviously implying. "You must make Sam, Merry and Pippin board that ship. The Captain will have orders to take you first to the Grey Havens and then down to Minas Tirith. If Morchaint falls then the armies will flee down to Rohan and then to Gondor where the last stand will be made. If there is any luck left to us at that point Nacraemeus will follow them rather than cross the Shire."

"We won't run." Frodo declared.

Harry knelt quickly and grabbed his face lightly with his hands. "You _will_ run at that point Frodo." Harry kissed his forehead before locking eyes. "You _will_ run because if you don't run, Sam, Pippin and Merry won't either and you will all die. Do you understand that?"

Frodo nodded with wide eyes and bit his lips. "But Dras Arget won't fall will it? Gandalf said it could hold."

Harry stared passed Frodo's head for a moment before turning back to him. "Nacraemeus isn't there to defeat Dras Arget. He's there to defeat me for I am his enemy in this world."

"You won't die though, right?" Frodo almost pleaded. "You can beat him right?"

"I will beat him, Frodo." Harry said after a while before letting the Hobbit hug him. He opened his wings and sent a rather shaky Frodo off to the rest of the laughing group who hadn't even been aware of the argument.

"You will beat him, Harry." Alex told him from where he'd stood beside him the entire time without saying a word. "I love you and I know you better than any other. You will beat him because that is the only option open to us. Dras Arget can hold out against his hordes but it can't hold out against him."

Harry looked at his love for a moment before nodding. "I know. I'll beat him because I owe it to Ron." Harry sighed. "I owe it to the man he once was."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The Fellowship, Alex, Denver, Calamy and their five Gondorian entourage left the town before sunrise. Harry and the other Lamia refused to say why they were leaving so soon even as Pippin began whining about being up that early when his bed had been so nice and warm. Harry simply wrapped him up in his wings to keep him warm.

They rode in pre-dawn silence amongst the still travelling troops coming from Edoc'sil along the Highway to Dras Arget. The road turned away from the valley floor and started to climb up one of the sides of the valley towards a dip in the ridge that led off to the west. As they reached the top the sun was just breaking the horizon behind them yet the vast plains that came into view was still in the dark. Harry pulled off to the side at the top of the ridge and the fellowship and the Gondorians followed him.

"This is why we moved out so early." Harry told them. "I'd like you all to see this."

"What are we supposed to be looking at?" One of the Gondorians asked.

"We are looking out over the plains of Dras Arget." Harry announced.

"It's rather dark." Sam commented blandly.

The view _was_ rather dark. With the sun not yet over the horizon the plain before them was almost pitch black. With Lamia and Elvin eyes they could just make out the dark outline of the city near the horizon but this vantage point was a one of a kind. It hid all light to the low plain while being just high enough and far enough away that you could see the city. It almost meant that the sun hit the city before it hit the plains between them. "Just watch." Harry told them gently.

As they waited the sky visibly began to lighten over the space of a few minutes and then in a single second a bright light appeared on the horizon as the top of the mile high city caught the light. Another moment and something utterly unforgettable happened. The city caught the light and almost seemed to explode outwards. Silver light shone around it as if a billion candles had lit up. The plain shone with silver light that the Hobbits, Gondorians, Legolas and Gimli blinked away from since they hadn't been expecting it. The light faded slightly after a few minutes as the sun began to lighten the rest of the plain but it still shone with magnificence. The tall mountain in the centre, larger and more beautiful than Minas Tirith itself, with the tall tower that had first shone and reflected the light on the flat top of the mountain. Then the city full of towers all around it spreading out for miles around it with a huge glittering wall that encircled it.

"It's..." Sam gasped.

Pippin opened and shut his mouth and Harry heard his teeth clicked.

"It's..." Sam gasped again.

"Amazing." Frodo whispered.

"I never believed Dras Arget to be so much greater than the jewel of our own kingdom." One of the Gondorians gaped just like the other four.

"That's the Mythril in the rock used to build the city." Harry explained though he was smiling softly at his city. "Most of the veins are left naturally but some of the places, like the tower at the top, are finely crafted. I never get tired of sitting up here in the morning and watching this.

"This is incredible." Pippin spoke up finally.

"There's a legend in the Shire about a city of diamonds that withered in the night and lit up the sky in the day. Bilbo told me about it when I was younger." Frodo laughed slightly. "I thought he was joking."

"With the Shire so close I'm not surprised there are legends." Harry told him. "We used to trade with the Hobbits in Bree."

"But Morchaint has been closed for the last five hundred years." Gandalf sighed. "I have missed this sight, Harry."

"And I'm sure it has missed you." Harry laughed showing his teeth just as the sun directly hit the outer wall and lit up the plain in one massive blaze of light. "It's time to go." The others looked rather reluctant but even as they watched the light began to fade as the surroundings began to light up.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

As they approached the city the entire group was brought into awed silence. It looked even more other-worldly than the Elvin buildings in Rivendell but it had none of the daunting effect of Domia. The area around the city seemed almost deserted except for the marching army filing into the Gates and the sounds of a city at work from within reached their ears easily.

The outer wall reached up to the same height as that of Edoc'sil, almost a hundred and fifty feet of dark grey walls veins with glittering silver veins that swirled and exploded across its surface to the point that Gimli was almost crying. The main gates seemed to almost stand open and welcoming even when guarded by two enormously thick towers riddled with slot windows and capped by large metallic machines that nobody could identify. All along the walls and interspaced towers were similar machines and across an ornate arching bridge that linked the gate towers stood almost a hundred archers, Lamia, Vampire, Human and even the Elvin army. They watched everybody that came into the city.

"It is almost a shame to see the weaponry on the walls, Harry." Gandalf sighed.

"I like it little more, Gandalf, but it is necessary." Harry sighed.

"It looks formidable and everything," Gimli started, "but it looks a little too decorative in places."

"There can be danger in beauty, Gimli." Harry told him.

"Have you not seen the Lamia and Vampires, Gimli?" Legolas asked with a smirk. "Most of the Elves pale in comparison to their beauty."

Harry laughed and noticed that Gimli, the Gondorians and the Hobbits were looking at him, Alex, Denver and Calamy. Studying their faces. As they approached the wall though those faces turned to shock as a cold wind ruffled their hair and a low buzz reached their ears. "The wind is in the Northwest." Alex told them.

"What do you mean?" Frodo asked.

"When the wind blows in that direction it flows through the moat." Harry told them bluntly.

"Moat!" Legolas scoffed. "It is no moat!"

Harry reminded himself that Legolas had been here once before but only as a child and before Harry had slept and even though Harry could remember meeting him he'd been busy with his father for the whole time.

As they approached the moat the group went pale staring to both sides at the pitch black chasm that reached along the foot of the walls. The walls themselves formed the see-able side wall of the chasm making them even taller than they seemed. "Now that's a defence worthy of a Dwarf." Gimli whistled appreciatively.

"You do not want to imagine the bones that litter the bottom of that chasm, master dwarf." Gandalf told him.

"How deep is it?" Sam asked in wonder.

"About as deep as the Eye is tall." Harry told them bluntly. "You would have enough time to contemplate your approaching death on the way down."

The group shuddered as one at that just as they reached a wide bridge that crossed the chasm towards the open gate. "Do you plan to destroy this bridge?" One of the Gondorians asked as they moved out over it.

"The gate has no door." Harry told them all simply. "A portcullis closes from either side from the towers but this bridge is much like the ones you saw at Edoc'sil. It forms the gate."

"Incredible." The human whispered.

As they approached the gates a loud horn blast rang out followed by several others and soon they realised the signal was being taken up all around them. "A fitting welcome for the return of their Lord." Gandalf guessed.

"Actually it has been a long time since I forbade such garish festivities." Harry laughed. "Baring one time after our return. This is for Frodo."

"Me?" Frodo gasped and shrunk back into Gandalf's white robes even as Gandalf chuckled.

"For you mainly but also for Sam, Pippin and Merry." Harry announced. "It is well known with my people how much you four have sacrificed and as Aragorn told you in Minas Tirith. You bow to no man. That is true also to us here. You bow to no human, Vampire or Lamia."

Harry opened his wings wide and pulled his horse beside Gandalf's and motioned Denver and Alex up on to either side of them so they and the Hobbits rode forwards in a line. Harry hugged Pippin gently as they passed through the suddenly split army which stood regally on either side of them with their shining armour and clean cloaks. The rigors of their three day march vanishing from their faces at the sight of Duke and Lord Corvil.

Harry snapped his wings once and they made a loud thud as they struck the wind before he folded them against his back. He raised a hand and their party came to a halt. Silence reached out around them and the four Hobbits realised that they were being watched by almost five thousand people, looking out from the area around them. The tall buildings almost looked like fortresses and towers of both elegance and war stood around them linked by ornate arching bridges all filled with soldiers and people.

"People of Morchaint!" Harry barely raised his voice yet it seemed to carry regardless. "Guests from the Lonely Mountain and from the Great Forests of Mirkwood. Human, Vampire, Lamia, Dwarf and Elf. Once again we shall all fight side by side. What was once started a year past with the formation of the Fellowship will now culminate into a war that none shall forget!"

A roar of sound reached them as people cheered his words. "My people, my guests. I present to you the bringers of our peace from Sauron and his hordes. I present to you four who's hearts outshine any immortal's. Samwise, Meriadoc, Peregrin and Frodo."

Another cheer reached out around them just as loud as the first. Harry held up hands and his black wings reached out into the air again. He waited and slowly there was a rustle of movement among the crowd. Alex, Calamy and Denver were first as they reached up with their own wings and then a thousand more wings spread up into the air around them. All colours reaching out over their comrades like protective arms. "Two days!" Harry announced loudly into the sudden silence. "Two days!" He said in amusement. "Two days is all the time that Nacraemeus has left to him!" This time the roar of cheers was unbearably loud and Harry folded his wings and nudged his mount on up the street. Cheers surrounded them as they rode as a group up through the city and the Hobbits began to realise that Harry's words had reached every section of the beautiful city.

It took them almost a half hour to make it around to the north of the city where Harry led them into a large stables complete with a large field of grass where they left their mounts. Gandalf looked at the decorative entrance to the Shadow Citadel and raised an eyebrow at Harry. "Are we to meet in the Council Hall?"

"Tomorrow." Harry told him. "Tonight we'll relax up in the Citadel and discuss matters with the others."

"Up there?" Sam gazed up and went dizzy. "What's up there?"

"The Lamia." Denver told him. "A city in itself to challenge the greatest cities of men."

"How do we get up there?" Frodo asked.

"We fly." Harry announced just as familiar faces appeared around them almost out of the shadows. "The Nuuruhuine will carry up those that myself, Alex, Calamy and Denver cannot."

"The Hobbits will go with you four." Gandalf nodded at Harry. Harry nodded back and motioned Calamy to take Frodo.

Harry turned to the five Gondorians. "Will you accept their aid or would you prefer accommodation in the greater city?"

"A place with no entrance or exit." One of them whistled with a shake of his head. He chuckled. "We've come this far, we might as well go all the way." He nodded finally at Harry who nodded back before spreading his wings out with a snap. He raised his arms to Pippin before lifting him tightly to his chest so his back was to Harry. With a massive thud Harry powered himself up into the air clear of their heads before he turned north away from the mountain and out into the sunlight where it was easier to climb.

With the added weight that the other Nuuruhuine had to carry they took it slow. Spiralling up in the currents of warmer hair on gliding wings. They settled down gently on the arching promontory where Harry had first come out to after awakening and Harry let the others take in the sights before leading them into the upper city.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The next day was spent apart from Harry who had disappeared at first light to check over the city. Gandalf was called away at around lunch time and the two didn't return until after the evening meal when a woman entered and Harry left with her. When he came back he had clearly been feeding and the Fellowship could almost see the power rippling from him. Nobody said anything but it was clear he was taking extra to build his strength. The next day there was a hushed quiet all over the city. It hung like a fog and the four Hobbits sat with Legolas and Gimli out on the promontory that overlooked the area.

At around an hour before dawn a long peal of a heavy horn echoed from the highest point in the city sending Legolas to his feet. Shouts could be heard throughout the city and almost as one a hundred of so Lamia leapt into the sky. "On the horizon." Legolas gasped. "A shadow."

"What kind of shadow?" Frodo asked.

"An army." Legolas told him sadly. "Too far away to see clearly. Even for me."

"It's them isn't it." Sam whispered.

"Most likely." Legolas told him.

"Finally!" Gimli grunted. "I don't like all this waiting."

As the day passed on the shadow grew until even the Hobbits could see it spreading from the horizon. As more hours passed they could hear drum beats and see the larger forms of Oliphonts and Siege machines against the northern sky then the sound of a rumbling thunder struck and they could hear the army marching towards them.

Shadows leapt into the sky above the enemy army and they all got to their feet. Before they could move two Lamia landed at the end of the promontory. One was Alex while the other was one they hadn't met before with beautiful violet wings. They instantly realised they couldn't feel power behind him and knew he wasn't one of the Nuuruhuine. "You all need to get into the city." Alex told them gently. "Those are Dragons."

"Dragons!" Gimli gasped. "There are no Dragons, they've all been killed."

Frodo stared at the Dwarf in astonishment and a dawning kind of horror spread across his face and Gimli turned to stare at the rapidly approaching beasts. "Please, my friends." Alex prompted them. "The city can deal with Dragons but you will not be safe out here so exposed."

"We'll go." Legolas nodded at him and gently put his hands on Frodo and Sam's shoulders. As a group they followed Alex into the city with the other Lamia following behind them.

"Where's Harry?" Pippin asked tugging at the edge of Alex's wing gently. The wing flapped slightly at the touch but Alex folded them properly before pointing up at the top of the tower. At the top they could see Harry standing with his wings completely open. A horn pealed out again over the city but this time it was replied to by a horrible screeching sound. The group spun just as they reached the city just as a massive shadow blotted out the sun. A dragon glided towards the city on huge wings but they could see light through the wings where the flesh had decayed slightly.

"Get up against the walls." Alex ordered before moving to block the entrance just as the Dragon folded his wings and dived. Regardless of the order the Hobbits ran to the edge and looked down at the Dragon as it dived at the open Gate, probably under orders to break it so it couldn't be closed when the army arrived. There was a series of peculiar metallic sounds and as they watched metal objects were flung up into the sky from the outer wall and a few of the towers within the city. Some missed and flew out into the plains but a few slammed into the Dragon cutting through its wings or impaling it.

It lost control of its flight and landed heavily at the far end of the bridge over the chasm but it's wings hung limply. It lurched forwards to cross the bridge but there were two dull thumps from the top of the towers as the metallic weapons released sending two shapes like barrels out over the chasm to slam into its hull. The explosion was immense and a ball of fire erupted from the Undead Dragon burning the grass of the plain and scorching the stones of the Highway and bridge. When the firestorm cleared there was nothing of the Dragon remaining.

"What was that?" Gimli gasped.

"Naphtha." Alex told him. "It's a bit primitive by our old world's standard but it's useful against the Undead."

"Very effective." Gimli grunted.

"Do the Gondorians use it?" Frodo asked.

"Not even the Elves know of what makes up Naphtha." Alex told him. "There are rules with this kind of weapon. It can level cities. There are enough barrels in this city to turn Dras Arget into a smoking crater. Mythril and all."

The others gaped at him but were distracted as five more Dragons attacked from the sky. Lightning crashed down from clouds starting to form over the city and more of the harpoons lanced up into the sky trying to bring down the Dragons outside of the gates to be destroyed by Naphtha barrels. Two landed within the city taking the tops of buildings with them as they landed yet they still died as flaming arrows with Naphtha filled tips struck them ripping them apart.

There was a lull over the city after that though fires raged where the Dragons had fallen yet even as they watched the fires were extinguished by great jets of water thrown out from the tops of towers. "How do you get the water up to the tops of the towers like that?" Sam asked.

"How else?" Alex asked.

"Well we use towers to pressurize water so that it comes out lower down." Sam frowned. "But that wouldn't work."

"No, it wouldn't." Alex grinned at him before pointing out over the city at a group of tall columns that vaguely looked like chimney stacks. Some belched black smoke while the others let out what seemed to be steam. "Steam engines. They do many things for the city but they are the answer to your question."

"I don't understand, what are steam engines?" Sam frowned.

"They use pressurized steam to run machinery which in turn sends the water through underground water pipelines and then up into the towers. A city wide fire can be stopped with that system." Alex explained.

"I don't understand how that works." Sam frowned. "But can you imagine, Frodo, what the Shire could do with things like that."

"They belch smoke." Frodo told him dryly.

Alex laughed. "A necessary evil though you didn't see them yesterday, we only run them when we need them."

"What else do they do?" Frodo asked.

"That is a secret, I'm afraid, Master Frodo." Alex grinned at him with his sharpened teeth. "Come, I shall find you food. It will be a long night and in the morning the battle will be joined."

"Normal food I hope." Gimli grunted.

Alex turned his teeth on the Dwarf in a feral grin and the dwarf stepped away slightly putting Legolas between himself and the Lamia.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

As the night passed the plains around Dras Arget slowly filled with moving shapes almost as far as could be seen. By the time the sun rose there was nothing but army all around them. The Hobbits were awakened by a group of boys that seemed rather hyperactive. It took the four Hobbits a while to realise that they were in fact Lamia too young to have their wings but they seemed to enjoy talking with their sharp fangs visible.

"Duke Corvil wanted us to get you fitted out from the armoury so you'd better hurry and get up." They told them all as they charged around the room almost pulling them out of bed. "No, don't worry about your armour. Oh, that's nice armour Master Frodo. You'd better keep hold of that."

Frodo was still half asleep when he was tugged down the hall in little more than his cotton under-trousers along with his three friends following the four Lamia boys into their common room. Legolas, Gimli and the Gondorians were nowhere to be seen and they hadn't seen Gandalf or Harry since dinner the night before.

"We _do_ need our clothes if we're going out there." Merry whined childishly even though they were all much older than the boys.

"We know you need clothes, but you've got new ones waiting over there. Duke Corvil says you're not to have anything but the best." One of the boys grinned at Frodo and started to help him tug an exquisitely tailored shirt over his head. The arms were strong material yet the torso section was smooth and flat and felt like velvet. "But Duke Corvil said we were to guard you and keep you safe."

"But we're going to Harry right?" Frodo asked before taking the leather trousers from the boy and pulling them on himself.

"Well he didn't say not to but he said to keep you away from the battle." The boy conceded before helping Frodo put his dwarven made Mythril vest over his head and smooth down his shirt underneath. "But he might be angry with us if we took you there."

"Well we're going and you can't really stop us." Pippin told the boys sternly.

"Oh we _could_." The boy helping Pippin grinned a predatory look and Frodo found himself raising his shoulders slightly as if to guard his neck. The boy helping him grinned as he saw the moment but the other boy continued talking. "But taking a look from the upper tower will be alright. Duke Corvil will be up there for most of the battle and it'll be safe."

"What about the rest of our friends?" Frodo asked.

"The Elvin Prince and Dwarf?" Frodo's boy asked. "And the...Gondorians?"

Frodo nodded but another boy spoke, Frodo realised they were a very close-knit group. "They're down on the outer wall. Nobody expected the Gondorians to offer their help but it's nice of them."

"Can we go down there?" Merry asked.

"Nope." His own boy shook his head. "We can't get down there. We don't have wings yet, we're only thirteen. The older boys are all down manning the inner equipment but all the younger ones like us are up in the upper city. The Lamia brought them all up last night."

"We could ask one of the older Lamia for a ride." Pippin mused.

Frodo's boy shook his head. "They won't give one to you. They have orders not to allow you off the upper city and they won't go against Duke and Lord Corvil. Everybody knows your faces. The only way off this mountain for you is to jump."

Frodo sighed and sat to pull on a new pair of boots before he checked himself over. He'd been given a thin Mythril helmet that almost felt like cotton and Mythril guards for his lower arms that acted like shields. The others had all been given another sword but he could use Sting easily enough if it came to it.

"You all look every part the Vampires." Frodo's boy grinned. "Just have to grow you some teeth to go with it. My name's Peter by the way."

"George."

"Dalamy."

"Kentar." Frodo blinked at the introduction but introduced his own friends by himself. Kentar continued. "Time to go. It's almost dawn and the fighting will probably start after the Blaze."

"Blaze?" Pippin asked.

"When the city lights up when the sun hits it." Dalamy grinned. "I love it but it's supposed to look more impressive when fires are lit around it. It looks like its burning."

"Let's hope not." Frodo muttered. Peter grabbed his hand and soon they were being yanked up through the city. They stopped to eat breakfast and found it odd that the Lamia boys ate with them but that was explained away by George when he explained that they didn't drink as much blood as the adults and could sustain themselves on normal food instead.

They were led up a seemingly endless staircase that the four boys seemed to find absolutely delightful but when they exited the top the four Hobbits collapsed to the floor in exhaustion. "Boys." An amused voice hissed through the air and their four guides went tense as Harry appeared between Peter and Kentar holding their shoulders under his arms. Frodo suddenly saw the amount of reverence Harry's people held for him. "You were supposed to bring them up here gently, not kill them."

"We're not tired." Kentar complained looking up at Harry mischievously.

Harry lifted him by the scruff of his neck and clicked his fangs beside his ear before kissing him lightly on the side of the head. "You, Kentar, are not a Hobbit." He put Kentar back on the ground before turning to smile at the four Hobbits. "You all look very nice in Lamia armour. You are the first in eight hundred years to be given our armour, it is yours to keep and wear it with pride."

"We will Harry." Merry nodded as he forced himself up onto his feet. "What's happening?"

"The sun will soon hit the city." A voice announced to Harry making the four Hobbits and their four guides jump around in surprise. The one called Archie walked out from the shadows at the far edge of the platform and Frodo finally looked around seeing all of the Nuuruhuine were standing around the edge of the platform in front of a fine Mythril web.

"Come here Pippin, Frodo." Harry asked and opened his wings. "Merry and Sam go to Archie. And you four go to one of the Nuuruhuine."

"What's happening?" Frodo asked but did as told.

"You remember that bright light at the beginning of the Blaze when we were watching it before?" Frodo nodded. "It originates from this tower. You are standing on over five hundred tonnes of Mythril and this place burns so brightly it will blind anyone whether you shut your eyes or not. Our wings will protect us from the glare."

"A few seconds." Alex announced and wrapped his wings around himself and Peter. Kentar, Dalamy and George disappeared behind the darkly coloured wings of the other Nuuruhuine before the wings closed around the other Nuuruhuine. Harry's black wings closed around himself, Pippin and Frodo just before a bright light flooded the area shinning through even the dark feathers of Harry's wings though not with enough power to blind them. Harry held onto the two Hobbits gently in case they tried to take a peak but they took his warning to heart and stayed still.

The light faded after a few minutes and Harry released the Hobbits to stare at the glowing Mythril around them but Harry was already walking over to the edge of the tower to look around them.

"Look, that looks like the Elvish for the Shire." Sam suddenly cried from where he was looking at the web to the south.

"Then the Shire lies in that direction." Alex told him bluntly though he was standing next to Harry.

"And look, there's Bree next to him. And here's Rivendell!" Pippin cried.

"And Minas Tirith and Edoras!" Merry exclaimed.

"Merry, Pippin." Harry said quietly. "Hush, please. It's starting."

Merry and Pippin came up to his sides rather meekly but Harry wrapped an arm around each of them to tell them he wasn't worried. A gasp of fright escaped from Pippin and then Merry as they noticed the army surrounding Dras Arget. It was a hundred times or more the size of that which Sauron had thrown at Minas Tirith and they both started shaking.

"We're safe right, Harry?" Pippin asked.

"Yes." Harry told them even as Alex wrapped an arm around Frodo and Sam in the same manner.

"They have bridging units." Vesser told Harry pointing out at the long wooden contraptions that looked almost like Siege Towers except they were at and odd angle and were huge. "They'll be tipped off the edge and will catch on the walls of the chasm and give them a path."

"They're already the priority target. If they get even one of them across the battle will take to the walls." Alex sighed.

"I'll deal with the platforms if they get one across." Harry told them all bluntly.

"No, you won't." Alex told him. "We can afford to lose a few men on the walls before the bridge it blown apart but you need to conserve all the strength you can."

"Alex..." Harry shook his head.

"No. Not this time, Harry." Alex shook his head. "Trust the defences to do their jobs. We'll deal with anything that gets passed them."

"Nothing will." Vesser assured him. "The city is built for this day."

"Ok then." Harry nodded before raising his wings. With one down beat he'd disappeared up onto the ridge along the top of the surrounding web. "People of Morchaint!" Again his voice was barely above normal yet it echoed over the whole city. "This is the day. Two days are up and this is the last day Nacraemeus will see. Show them what the greatest city in Middle-Earth is capable of." His wings thudded once loudly before he raised his voice. "Let them burn!"

A roar spread across the city as people cheered and it had barely faded before a series of unmistakable sounds was heard throughout the city. All around the city, on the upper level and the lower, metallic siege engines came to life and with a tremendous whine projectiles were being launched into the sky. Before they'd hit the ground the same engines were firing again.

It was like a wave when they struck deep behind the enemies front line and the explosive wave lit up all around them as a wall of flames sky rocketed sucking in air as it wiped through the enemy Undead.

Horns sounded through the enemy ranks and almost as one they surged forwards. There were no skirmishes, no waves, they simply came as one, throwing everything they could at Dras Arget as the city answered in kind. A horde was most effective when used as a whole and Nacraemeus knew it. The only fear Harry had was that Nacraemeus would out manoeuvre him. That he had some kind of plan that would beat Harry.

The siege units rolled forwards creeping closer to the walls. "How many Jesu?" Harry asked seeing his friend counting them carefully.

"Forty nine bridging units, twenty Oliphont mounted weapons. Eighty-five catapults, sixteen Dragons. Hundreds of siege ladders which can breach the chasm." Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin were staring at the Lamia in shock as he spoke.

"What about anything we haven't see before?" Harry asked.

"I don't think so." Jesu shook his head. "It's all pretty standard stuff. The same sort of stuff he gave to the Gondorians when they attacked Edoc'sil a thousand years ago."

"Keep an eye out, all of you." Harry ordered.

As they watched the outer wall defences attacked. A ring of fired barrels exploded against the front lines but it was clear they were aiming mostly at anything resembling a siege weapon. "This is wrong." Harry frowned as he saw the first line of bridging units go up in flames. "This is too easy."

"And that's a problem?" Merry asked.

"Nacraemeus isn't a fool, Merry." Harry told him. "He never wastes anything."

The catapults of the Undead army attacked before the second line of bridging units were destroyed and explosions struck the outer wall and even within the city where flames leapt up. "They have Naphtha." Alex muttered.

"It won't turn the tide." Harry told him. "Order the batteries to destroy their catapults. Nacraemeus should know better than to bring extra fire with his army. It's always his downfall."

"Ironic." Alex muttered.

"He always did love fire." Harry sighed in agreement. The batteries targeted the Oliphonts and the ground catapults next and the secondary explosions simply added to the turmoil in the army below.

The Hobbits watched in shock as the flames raged in the plains around the city as well as within. This was a battle far beyond what they'd expected. "Harry." Archie spoke up. "The walls are taking heavy arrows."

"This is wrong." Harry shook his head. "I'm waiting for the other play."

"We seem to be winning." Sam muttered.

"That's the problem." Harry sighed. "We _seem_ to be winning. Nacraemeus will have an edge."

"I'm going to go down there and talk to Gandalf, Legolas and Gimli. See what they think." Harry announced. "The rest of you get to the walls and keep your eyes open."

The others nodded and as one leapt into the air. Harry turned to the four Lamia boys and their four Hobbit charges. "You should be safe up here, the Dragons don't seem to be bothered with the upper city but at the first sign of trouble get down off the platform." Harry told them. "And boys," he added to the Lamia. "You're in charge of protecting them but get down to the older guards if you get any trouble."

"Yes, Sir." Peter nodded. Harry nodded.

"Harry? Tell the others to be careful." Frodo requested.

"Sure." Harry nodded and slipped backwards towards the webbing. Shadows seemed to creep up around him and Harry disappeared into the blackness that shouldn't even be there. The others blinked in shock at where he'd been.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Harry reappeared from the shadows in the blistering heat of the outer walls. Gandalf was standing clear of the edge but he turned to Harry in shock. "You're powers are growing. You haven't used that power in a millennia."

"Why do it when you can fly or walk?" Harry asked. "The Nuuruhuine are up looking for the other shoe to drop."

"I was wondering that myself." Gandalf muttered as he backed away from the edge. "Their bridging units are gone."

"And we're looking at around eighty-thousand dead on their side already." Harry sighed. "Only forty minutes into the battle. At this rate of attrition Nacraemeus will lose by default before midday."

"He has to be hiding something but I can't sense anything." Gandalf grumbled. Harry shook his head but walked up to the edge of the Gateway tower where they were standing. The launch point behind them was silent as there were no major targets to hit within its range now that the bridging units were gone.

"If he was going to use bridging units as his only way of breaching the walls he would have used hundreds of them, not this measly amount." Harry glared out over the battle. Or slaughter really but it was then that he noticed something. There were the inner fires from where the siege engines were which were now fading and the outer fires from where the siege engines were attacking the catapults but the middle range field was really untouched and he could see troops forming up there. All Undead.

"Crap!" Harry spun on the spot and raised his voice! "All engines, mid range!"

Horns blared out from the tower and Harry struck out with the same message mentally to anyone that could handle it but he was already too late, it would take too much time to realign the siege engines and the wall mounted weaponry didn't have the range. "Wall mounted weaponry open fire extreme range!" He shouted instead. The metallic crossbow like machine on his own tower came to life but still it wouldn't be enough.

Harry turned back and saw his mistake. Nacraemeus' plan had worked, whatever that plan would lead to. He'd drawn Dras Arget's considerable attention away from the midfield, first with the bridging units and then with the catapults using Naphtha to force Harry to attack them. Thus leaving the central staging area hidden and ignored while he grouped his attack. As Harry watched, Gandalf grabbed his arm in question. Harry turned to him. "He drew our attention away from the mid range and those Undead aren't normal."

As the hundred thousand Undead lurched forwards Harry studied them. They were clearly created from the bones of others since they were all skeletons but they had abnormally long rear legs. As they ran Harry saw the power behind those legs. The first range of weaponry struck. His siege engines behind the walls lit up the rear of the suddenly running troops and the wall mounted weaponry struck the front ranks but a hundred thousand were too many. When they didn't slow as they approached the chasm Harry drew his swords and his mind thrust around him yelling out his order both mentally and physically.

"To arms!" Harry yelled. "Reinforce the wall!"

Lamia leapt up from the city landing on the wall even as the Undead horde leapt row after row from the edge of the chasm. In seconds the entire length of the wall was dotted with thousands of Undead even as more landing on top of their own fellows. Luckily the towers themselves seemed to be out of range of their leaps. Harry leapt down onto the wall between his tower and the next and his eight short swings of his swords knocked ten of the creatures back over the wall and into the chasm.

One landed on his back from its leap but his wings sent them flying. _"Harry!"_Archie called._ "We're moving all the Lamia to the walls but there's another fifty thousand of those things coming up on the wall."_

_"Guard the gate, they'll try to open it."_ Harry ordered.

_"I'm already there."_Alex told him.

Harry killed perhaps a hundred in the space of a few minutes and knew that a member of the Nuuruhuine would be at each section so instead of moving to another he simply helped defend this section. With the towers still firing at the approaching Undead that could leap the chasm they at least had a chance. Harry caught a glance at the plains and growled at the fifty-thousand still surging towards the chasm and over it.

_"They're through on section eight!"_ Lex reported. _"In the city. And section nine!"_

_"We'll move riders there."_ Archie reported. He always coordinated.

Harry sighed knowing they didn't stand a chance like this. They'd have half the city under hordes of those Undead in minutes. Harry leapt into the air and lightning crashed across the front of his own wall sending all the Undead their tumbling back again. "Naphtha down the chasm!"

_"Harry!"_ Archie gasped in shock. It was the river of oil and Naphtha at the base of the chasm that fed the city.

"Do it!" Harry roared his voice spreading out again. His orders impossible to refuse. Barrels of burning Naphtha were quickly thrown off from the tops of the tower and down into the darkness. Harry settled to killing more of the Undead for almost twenty seconds before a rush of air made them all tumble as air was sucked down into the chasm before with a might roar fire leapt up all around the city burning the leaping Undead from the walls in a torrent of air that burnt the outside of the wall and melted the rock on the other side turning the edge of the plains into a lake of fire.

Over the roar of the fire they cleared the city and the walls secure in the knowledge that nothing else could get through that wall. It had its risks though and the top of one of the towers was quickly abandoned as the Naphtha there ignited and only a few seconds later it exploded ripping the top away from it. The other towers began to thrown their own Naphtha barrels over into the fires to be rid of them but another two went up. It was better than being overrun though.

"Harry!" Gandalf shouted as he, Gimli and Legolas came around him once the wall was clear and the Lamia headed for the city to clear it.

"Let's get away from that fire." Legolas suggested barely audible over the rush of sound. Harry led them down away from the wall and into the city where the streets were filled with burning Undead and not a few dead horses and their Vampire and Lamia riders as well as a few Lamia. Harry gritted his teeth but walked through it. The wounded were being treated and moved further into the city while every hideaway was being searched. In ten minutes Harry was on the Highway through the city in the wide market area and Archie and Alex found him there. They had grim expressions.

"I know, Harry." Archie sighed. "It had to be done. Casualties are around five thousand on our side, almost all of that from those last Undead creatures." He spat the last part.

"Lex has gone up to the tower to have a look at Nacraemeus' army and see what he has left and what he's doing." Alex told him. "He'll report to us when he knows."

Harry rubbed at his head but felt Lex there a few moments later. _"It looks like he's regrouping. I spotted him out in the open once, staring at the fires."_

Harry told that to the others before speaking mentally again. _"What of his numbers?"_

_"There's about a hundred thousand left out there. Half of that has to be his Necromancers. I don't see any living soldiers but he's got about ten large Undead cats around his headquarters."_ Lex told them.

"He's down to about a fifth of his strength." Harry told Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli and the really tired four Gondorians that joined them. "Where is Avoten?" Harry asked seeing one missing.

"He was with us on the wall when the Undead hit. He got knocked off into the city. His wounds are extreme." Another told him. "He'll be dead within the hour. We've done everything we can."

"We can do one more thing for him." Harry told them over the steady roar of the fires.

"I think we should offer it." The man nodded. "We have come a long way since travelling with you."

"I think it may go down better from Calamy or Denver." Harry pointed out. "You know them as well as you do each other."

The men nodded. "Do you know where either are?"

"I'll call them." Archie nodded but he didn't really move as his mind reached out. He could find either of them easily enough while concentrating on the conversation.

"So, we ride out and kill them all?" Gimli grunted hefting his axe.

Harry looked at him strangely for a moment before grinning happily. "Not quite, my good friend." Harry told him. "This battle is now out of your hands."

"What?" Gimli growled like he'd just had his favourite toy taken away.

"Gimli," Harry sighed. "Can you fly?"

"Of course not, but I see no reason for that to make a difference." Harry sighed and took the dwarf by the shoulder and turned him to the rising flames on the other side of the wall.

"I could order the bridge lowered through that if you'd like to try." Harry offered. Gandalf chuckled.

"How long must we wait?" Legolas asked.

"Two months or so." Harry told him bluntly. "There is a river of oil down there that allows for a chain reaction of kinds. It'll have to burn itself out. It'll get less in a few hours. The Lamia will attack in an hour and I'll go for Nacraemeus."

"I had hoped to assist you." Gandalf sighed. "I am confident I can stand against Necromancers."

"I shall take Gandalf the White." Alex told Harry. "I feel he may be needed."

"Just keep yourself safe." Harry told him sternly. "And no, you two. You will not be going." Harry told Legolas and Gimli. "You've both done more than you needed to and I'll always be grateful but your place is here with your people. Please report to your Kings and tell them that the Lamia will attack in one hour."

"Very well Harry." Legolas surprised Harry by hugging him gently and Harry even got a strong slap on the back from Gimli. "Be safe."

"I'm not quite done yet." Harry grinned before turning to Archie. "As soon as the lower city is deemed clear have all Lamia fit to fight assemble in the upper city."

"Ok, Harry." Archie nodded. "Gandalf, will you come up with me?" Harry asked. "I think the Hobbits may be rather worried up there." Gandalf chuckled before accepting a tight hug from Harry. They'd flown like this before a few times but not in recent years. Harry's ascent was rather easily compared to before. With so much hot air rising Harry barely had to work to gain enough altitude to land on the tower. In fact he had to fully collapsed his wings to stay firmly on the surface.

Harry turned to Lex once he'd set down. "We attack in little less than an hour. Make sure all the Nuuruhuine are fed and ask a donor to come up here please?"

Lex nodded before slipping down the stairs rather than flying because of the hot winds whipping around the tower. "Are you ok?" Frodo asked. The Hobbits and boys had been crouched down together against the eastern section of the web clearly so the Lamia could make sure they didn't get caught in the winds when they first started.

"We are fine." Harry told him.

"How did Nacraemeus do that?" Sam asked looking in awe at the three quarter ring of fire that surrounded the wall.

"Nacraemeus didn't." Harry told them all. "We did. There is a river of Naphtha at the bottom of that chasm. We ignited it to stop them from overwhelming us."

"Were they winning?" Frodo asked.

"Yes Frodo, for a moment they were." Harry told him truthfully. "Nacraemeus is a brilliant strategist and he'd have to have gotten close in this battle. But at the moment his forces are crippled. The Lamia will attack shortly as we are the only ones that can leave the city at the moment."

At that moment a young soldier entered. A seventeen year old human brought up to protect the children. He nodded at Harry and touched his throat telling Harry where's he'd prefer to be bitten. Harry knew that now that the flames were burning the men and fighters that weren't injured would be offering their blood to heal or feed their Vampire and Lamia brethren since their job was more or less done.

Harry glanced at Gandalf, Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin with a raised eyebrow. They glanced at each other and shrugged as one. "We don't mind." Pippin told him.

"Thank you." Harry nodded. He offered his arms to the man who stepped in close. Harry kissed him on the forehead to show he was grateful to him for offering. "What is your name?"

"Max." The young man told him.

Harry gently held the back of his neck and lightly bit into his neck with sharp teeth. Max groaned and sagged into Harry who wrapped his left arm around his waist to hold him against himself.

Most of the time Lamia and Vampires did this away from the Rohirrim, Gondorians, Dwarves and Elves purely because of the rather intimate effect between feeder and donor. It was much more pleasant for the donor when they didn't fight it and when the taker of the blood was more intimate with the donor. The difference between holding them up in an embrace and grabbing their throats made all the difference in the experience. Harry drunk what he needed before pulling away. He kissed the spot over the neck gently and waited for it to heal over before pulling back.

Max smiled at him looking rather dazed with wide eyes. Harry slowly sat him down against one of the pillars around the web and Peter and Kentar sat at his sides to make sure he was okay. Harry turned to the rather shocked Hobbits. "There's nothing really bad about it is there?" Sam pointed out logically. "It can't be if the donor enjoys it."

"It is a different experience for those that don't choose to become donors." Harry told them. "If they struggle or are afraid then it can hurt. There are laws dictating that no blood can be taken involuntarily unless in dire circumstances."

"So, he'll be okay?" Frodo asked looking at the young black and silver robed Morchaint soldier.

"I will be fine, Master Hobbit." Max assured him. "I have been a donor a few hundred times before."

"There are limits but it is up to the donor to dictate what they are capable of giving." Harry told them with a smile at the young man.

"It sounds interesting." Sam pointed out. "Maybe we should..."

"You can talk to Max about it if you'd like." Harry told them. "But no offering until I decide if it's a good idea."

Merry flashed him a small smile. Harry turned out over the city as Archie reached for his mind. _"The city is clear, Harry."_ Archie told him. _"Lamia are beginning to form in the upper city."_

"I have to go." Harry told the Hobbits before turning to Gandalf and offering his arms again. Gandalf nodded and soon Harry was gliding down to deal with things with the Lamia.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Harry and almost twenty thousand Lamia spiralled up into the sky. There was another ten thousand in the upper city that would come if needed but that number should be enough to distract the hundred thousand out there enough for Harry to take on Nacraemeus. Even so they stayed above the clouds so they weren't seen by the Necromancers waiting for something to happen. When Harry ordered the attack they dove rapidly down into the centre of  Nacraemeus' camp. Fire leapt up around the camp as the fire elementals set light to as much of the army of Undead as possible.

Twenty thousand wasn't much against a hundred thousand but they had speed and their flight as a massive advantage. The Undead couldn't be surprised but the Necromancers were instantly in a panic as winged forms began falling among them. Before they even realised what was happening the Lamia had killed at least one Necromancer each which easily put the battle in the Lamia's favour.

Harry landed smoothly with Alex carrying Gandalf on one side and Archie and Jesu on his other. The other Nuuruhuine were causing serious damage around them leaving the area around them rather empty as they searched out the most powerful of the Necromancers and more importantly their age old enemy.

They also had to face the remaining Dragons in the Undead army but it was one of them that caught Harry's attention to the point that he sent a blast of magic at it that tore through its wings. It was a weak spell since he knew it would do no damage but the Dragon vanished a second later leaving somebody that Harry hadn't seen himself in centuries.

The battle exploded into action around them as the Necromancers threw everything they had left at the Lamia and they held up only because of their higher numbers. Horns rang out from the city in encouragement as Harry squared off against Nacraemeus. He knew he had to do this alone but knowing Nacraemeus he wouldn't keep to the same rules.

Harry wasn't disappointed either as before he could think of attacking the ground under Harry, Gandalf and Alex erupted upwards and a great beast tore through the dirt trying to get at Harry. Harry slashed at it even as he leapt up into the air. It's tail broached the ground within the fighting armies and swept through ranks of Lamia and Undead as well as their Necromancer masters.

It took Harry all of five seconds to dig deep into the beast and burn in from the inside out but it was merely a distraction. He found himself separated from the rest of the Nuuruhuine but this way he didn't have to worry about anybody else. He spied Nacraemeus through a few dozen Necromancers and he blurred forwards killing half of them on his blades before he snapped the necks of two. The last few died as he blasted the ground from around him sending them flying into the air. Nacraemeus was backing away through the battle, heading towards the open battle ground between the overrun camp and Dras Arget. He threw everything he could in Harry path but Harry knew he was trying to weaken him and used only what energy he needed to use to get through.

As he broke free of the battle he felt the air ripple and had to roll under an Undead cat that leapt at him with broken teeth. Another rolled him across the floor but Harry killed the two easily enough as he came to his feet and kept following Nacraemeus. By the time he'd killed another four cats and finally stopped in front of Nacraemeus they were being watched from the upper city and the spires in the city. Close to fifty thousand people would witness this fight. A fight to end all fights.

Nacraemeus' first strike was unbelievably powerful. One moment he was shuttering his eyes and waving his arms to the side under a thick black leather robe and the next the floor was gone, blowing up into the air along with Harry and tones of burning molten rock that burned at Harry's wings as he caught himself on his wings to hover in the heat formed from the attack. He smacked out his wings to rid the flames burning his feather before slowly settling on the ground using his magic to cool the rock enough to stand on.

Nacraemeus sneered at him with fanged teeth and attacked again. The blast of sickly red magic made Harry blur and twist to the side to avoid it. His wings rose into the air and thudded again as his magic blew up around him lifting molten rock and debris around him before the entire lot hurtled down onto Nacraemeus blasting him backwards. Harry was on the tail of his strike and he sliced deep into his side with one of his swords. The magic on his sword tried to kill him like it did with the Undead but eventually failed as Harry leapt back to avoid a magical strike from Nacraemeus that burnt the air.

As Harry watched the wound healed over. "You're nothing to me anymore, Corvil!" Nacraemeus hissed, his voice was nothing like it had been so long ago. There was no heart left at all. Harry steeled himself to his task and released all of his magic for use. The air rippled all around them, burning what was left of the battle as it reached up like an inferno. Harry attacked from the midst of it striking with all his speed and strength using everything as he used his swords to beat aside Nacraemeus' hasty slashes. His hate of the man growing with every memory of what he'd done.

A flash of Hermione stumbling through the Corvil home with a dagger in her hand, risen from the dead after Ron had killed her in a bout of anger. Neville stripped of most of his skin and flesh in a magical strike while he defended his home and family from Undead. Neville's twin sons mangled in a burning home. All done by his old friend. And much more. It all fed Harry's attacks to the point that the ground under Harry rippled and began to turn over. Fire began to rise from the burning ground as Harry slashed at Nacraemeus.

Nacraemeus managed to get only two attacks in. One turned Harry's left arm into a bloody mess and mangled his bones. Harry dropped his left sword but shut off the pain. The other cut through his right wing and shredded the skin holding his feathers.

Fed by his pain, memories and the thousands of people Nacraemeus had killed recently, Harry struck a solid blow straight through Nacraemeus' chest. The sword sunk hilt deep and even before Nacraemeus had realised what had happened Harry spun on the spot and delivered a solid blow with his foot against the hilt, crushing the handle through his chest.

Nacraemeus fell backwards to the floor with horror written across his face. The magic collapsed into Harry and he knelt at Nacraemeus' side and pulled his sword from the mess that was his chest. There was no way to heal from that blow, not even a Lamia could. "You've become a Shadow, Ronald Weasley." Harry sighed, his voice carrying across the suddenly silent battlefield. "You don't even remember your own family. Perhaps now you will be face with them and I hope the shadows eat what's left of your soul." With a strong shove he put his sword through the Necromancer's neck, killing the little of his life that was left to him after two millennia.

Harry left his sword in Nacraemeus' neck before he stood wearily. He staggered as he turned only to see rank upon rank of Lamia watching him. Their own battle was finished. As one they knelt, even his own Nuuruhuine. Harry lifted a hand to gesture them up but the movement never got completed. He staggered forwards and in a rush of movement both Alex and Lex were holding him between them.

"I'll live, Alex." Harry assured him tiredly. He knew he needed to reassure his lover.

Alex kissed him gently before turning to the Nuuruhuine that were standing around them. The rest of the Lamia were still on their knees and Harry knew they wouldn't rise until Harry was returned to the city. No Morchaint citizen would stand and watch a wounded Nuuruhuine, especially Harry. They either helped him or paid their respects to the sacrifice they'd have made to become injured. "Get his swords and then drop Nacraemeus into the chasm."

Archie nodded and he, Jesu, Patia and Nicole moved away to do just that. The rest turned to head back to the Lamia to begin throwing the entire dead army into the chasm after Nacraemeus. Harry let his lover and Lex slowly fly him up into the air until they were clear of the chasm before flying him into the city. As they flew over the lower city all of the Morchaints there knelt in reverence even as a hushed silence pervaded everything. Even the roar of the fires even now consuming Nacraemeus fell into background noise.

They set down on the promontory and the two helped him walk through the upper city to the same kind of hushed silence. Harry stopped them in front of the Citadel doors and forced them to let him turn around. "Nacraemeus is dead. The city should be cheering." There was almost a minute of silence to this before Harry nodded respectfully to the city as a whole and the thousand people in front of the Citadel before he turned and headed into the Citadel. The cheer that went up from first them and then every other citizen of Dras Arget was immense and Harry smiled weakly at Alex and Lex.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Alex and Lex took Harry to the Chamber of the Ancients as it had been dubbed in recent centuries knowing that in here Harry could have a little bit of privacy while he recovered. A human woman arrived a few moments after them and quickly came to Harry with the offer of her wrist while Harry sat wearily in one of the chairs that sat in front of the great Mythril casks around three sides of the room. It was a simple chair of black granite but it had no back which was what he needed right now. Alex stayed at hand in case Harry got lost in his feeding. It wasn't likely but still a possibility.

Harry took what he needed and instantly the pain began to fade and he came more awake as his magic was partly replenished. He didn't want to risk feeding again that day even with his exhaustion. "Thank you." Harry told the woman who nodded before backing out of the room. Harry had kept his mind tightly under lock and key throughout the feeding so she was less affected than Max had been earlier.

With the fresh blood working in his system Harry let Alex and Lex work along his right wing. His bones were intact but there was a torn tendon and a large tear through the membrane that would take months to fully heal over. It took a lot to force a hole through a Lamia's wing membrane. An arrow at close range or a sword would puncture it but a small hole healed over in a day or so. Harry would have to leave his wings out for a long time to get them to heal properly.

As for his arm that was in a worse state. The skin and flesh were not in a good state and his radius was snapped clean through. That would heal easily with the new blood but he'd have to keep it immobile for a few weeks for the skin to heal over.

A knock sounded at the door while Lex was cleaning off his arm and Alex was working on his wing and Harry called out for whoever it was to enter. A guard entered but shut the door behind him before approaching. He bowed and Harry told him to rise. "My Lord. The Hobbits are asking to enter and the White Wizard, Elvin King and Dwarven King are being flown up by the Nuuruhuine. They wish to see you."

"The Hobbits can come in." Harry nodded. "As can the four boys with them. You can let Gandalf and the Kings enter also."

"My Lord. There are a lot of people that are worried about your health." The guard told him carefully.

"You may spread the word that I'll be just fine." Harry told him gently and gave him permission to leave. The man saluted him and left with a smile ready to spread the word to his friends.

Harry spent the next few hours in the Chamber of the Ancients with the four Hobbits, the Lamia boys that were still watching the Hobbits, Gandalf, the Elvin King, Dwarven King, Legolas, Gimli and almost all of the Nuuruhuine. It was rather late in the afternoon when Harry announced he was heading for his bed. Alex followed him carefully and the others went out to join the cleanup of the lower city.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day – Shadow Citadel**

The room's five thousand seats were filled to capacity with humans, Vampires, Lamia, Elves and Dwarves. In the centre seats sat the Elvin King, Dwarven King, Gandalf and the Nuuruhuine while the front row of seats held the Hobbits, Legolas, Gimli and the five Gondorians including one freshly turned into a Vampire. Calamy and Denver sat with him to reassure him. The entire place was lit not by reflected sunlight but a rather eerie red glow of the surrounding fire reflected through the windows and by the Mythril statues.

Harry walked slowly down the steps at a slow pace knowing that the general chatter had died as soon as the Vampires, Lamia and Elves had sensed his presence enter the room. His left arm was tightly strapped across his chest in a sling and his wings were against his back though the tear in his right wing was easily visible. He reached the bottom and looked around the audience.

"Firstly let me congratulate all of you for the effort you put into this war. Dras Arget still stands with minimal damage and I am proud of the country that myself and my friends created so long ago." There was a cheer for his words. "I'm afraid I am still rather tired and there is much to decide or tell you in this session so I will be abrupt."

There was a round on nods as they respected his wish. "We have defeated Nacraemeus and his army but we have not destroyed the threat completely. I say that we band together as one, Morchaint, Elf, Dwarf, Rohirrim and Gondorian and wipe the Necromancers from Middle-Earth."

There was a cheer of agreement from the Morchaints in the crowd and Harry turned to the Dwarven and Elvin Kings. "Our loyalty is already pledge to this war." Thorin told him. "We'll march where you ask us too." There was a thump from the Dwarves as agreement.

"You also have our skills and bows." Thranduil, Legolas' father, told him regally.

"Then word will be sent to all our allies to meet with their armies with all due haste at the Lake of the Old Forest Road." Harry announced with an air of finality.

"How do you propose we leave this burning jewel of a city?" Gimli asked from the sidelines using a new term that had been floating around Dras Arget that day.

"Ships have already begun transporting supplies and horses down the bay. We'll ship troops out of the city that way." Alex spoke up. "It'll take time but once on land we'll meet up with the South-western Highroad and follow that down to Bree and the Great East road to Rivendell. We'll pass through the mountains there and destroy anything left in goblin town as we go. Then follow the Old Forest Road to the River Running."

Harry nodded to show he agreed and there were no complaints. Harry nodded and held up his right hand. "Thank you again. Finally we're at a point where peace may finally come to this world."

The cheers followed him and the Nuuruhuine from the room. Harry felt a weight lifted from him that he'd carried with him for as long as he'd been alive. Finally, for the first time he had no personal enemy he had to face. He felt...like he could finally change the world.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	22. Gaining everything at last

The Nuuruhuine

**A/N; And thus I give you the last chapter of this story.** I hope you've all enjoyed this story, I know I've enjoyed writing it immensely. Please tell me what you all think of the ending and thank you to everyone that has read and reviewed this story in the two years it's taken me to write.

Chapter 22; Gaining everything at last

**Dras Arget**

Harry took a last look out of the window to his and Alex's rooms before turning to face his naked husband who smiled at him and gently embraced him. Harry had made sure to go out over the last two days and though weak while his body slowly healed he had walked around the lower city inspecting the repairs and showing his people that he was going to live.

His right wing however was another matter, it was still rather badly wounded and he knew it would take time to heal, perhaps several months and during that time he couldn't pull it in or take his Thunderbird form. He'd focused his healing on the simpler task of fixing his left arm and now it showed no sign that it had been damaged.

"The military began shipping up to Miril this morning." Alex told him softly. "We received word that the tracks are cleared and they'll begin embarking troops as soon as they can. They'll hold ours until we arrive."

Harry nodded. "We'll leave before noon, that way we can board in Miril before nightfall and be on our way by dawn."

"You want me to make sure they get the message?" Alex asked. They'd been arguing almost constantly about the Hobbits. Harry had wanted them to stay here but the rest of the Fellowship and Alex had spoken up for their request to come along. The rest of the Nuuruhuine had won out by saying that it was their world just as much as anyone else's.

"I'll go tell them." Harry shook his head and stepped away from his husband's warm body and moved to wash and change into black leather trousers and a loose silver shirt. He pulled on boots and to finish his appearance he strapped his twin swords and their belt around his waist. Looking deadly and powerful was vital for him at the moment especially since all could see his black wings and knew the damage they concealed. Harry wouldn't be able to fly for a month at least.

Harry left the room and glanced at the Lamia boy, Kentar, who was waiting to accompany him for the morning. One of the young Lamia always accompanied the members of the Nuuruhuine. Harry flashed his teeth at the thirteen year old and the boy leapt to his side. Harry placed a hand on his shoulder. "We're going to see Masters Frodo, Pippin, Samwise and Meriadoc." Harry told him. "To make sure they are prepared to leave."

"Can we come too?" Kentar blurted out. "My Lord?"

Harry glanced down at the boy with a smirk. "That's up to your parents, you know that."

"But my mum said I can't go." Kentar sighed. "Peter, George and Dalamy get to go."

"I'm sorry, Kentar, but it's up to her. I can't contradict her." Harry shook his head gently and ruffled the boy's hair just as they arrived at an ornately carved door. Harry pushed it open and walked into the sunlit room taking in the newly familiar sight of the flames dancing across the ceiling, reflected as they were from the chasm.

Pippin glanced up from where he was sitting in the armchair opposite Merry and he grinned happily. "Merry, it's Harry!"

Merry jumped up along with him and Harry hugged them both briefly. "Where are Frodo and Sam?"

"Out on the balcony, I think." Pippin frowned.

"Kentar?" Harry prompted. The boy ducked out through the door onto the balcony and disappeared briefly. Harry caught him telling Frodo and Sam about his presence and then saw him almost tugging the two Hobbits into the room. "Are you four ready to go?" Harry asked.

"You mean you're letting us go?" Frodo asked warily. "I mean with the army."

"You haven't left me much of a choice, Frodo." Harry grinned at him. "You seem to have most of my own people voting for you now."

Frodo went slightly red but recovered himself. "When do we leave?"

"We'll be eating lunch on the ships." Harry told them. "Pack any personal items you wish to take but wear travel cloths and pack the armour I gave you. I'll leave instructions at the guard room that they convey you all down to the docks as soon as you're ready to leave. Make sure you're there by eleven."

"Thank you, Harry." Frodo told him.

"You've come this far, who am I to stop you from seeing this to the end." Harry nodded to them.

"Even they get to go." Kentar grumbled out under his breath yet Harry caught it easily and tapped him on the side of the head.

"It's not up to me, Kentar, take it up with your parents." Harry smiled at him before turning the thirteen year old towards the door and pushing him forwards. "Make sure you're ready." He shot at the four Halflings just as he shut the door behind them.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Late afternoon**

The trip around the East-Adurna headland was a little on the rough side and it had to be timed with the ebb of the tide to avoid the twelve knot currents that flooded into the Bay during the flood. But they grounded the ship and alighted only three hours after they'd left and it was only a three hour horse ride along the northern border of Morchaint to the mining town of Miril nestled into the end of the Grey Mountain range. As they approached the city, for a city it was compared to any of the other towns in Middle-Earth, it became clear that while it was designed for war it was also an industrial town with a huge array of stone warehouses nestled in rows and houses that although weren't to the same beautiful standard as in Dras Arget were still captivating. Gardens and ponds filled the areas between the houses and it was obvious that the mining population had made every effort to make their residences as different to their mines as possible. Around the whole city was a fifty foot wall interspersed with the towers so common to Morchaint.

"Do you see up on the cliffs over the city, Pippin?" Harry asked his passenger loud enough that all four Hobbits heard as well as Legolas, Gimli and the five humans and one new Vampire from Gondor. They all looked up and above the city, where it met the cliffs and mountains were small rectangles only just visible against the granite of the cliff.

"What are those? Openings?" One of the Gondorians asked.

"Ledges." Harry told him. "There are eighty five there that can strike pass the town in the direction we approached from."

"Strike?" Frodo asked.

"These are some of the many positions of the Grey Batteries." Gandalf announced. This is a common sight along the whole length of the Grey Mountains, though normally you have to know what to look for to see them. The last time I was here I couldn't spot any of them."

"We normally block up the entrances." Alex nodded. "But they were unblocked when Nacraemeus came past here."

"And he came pretty close." Harry sighed. "You all saw the burnt patches and those few stones out in the plains."

Harry led them though the city which was filled with activity. An entire lane of small wagons were being heaved through the main road leaving Harry and his group to move down a more scenic route that was filled with marching soldiers which moved to the sides to let them pass.

"Why is your army coming here?" The Gondorian Vampire asked. "Would it not be more prudent to move them in smaller groups to Domia?"

"They'll move in smaller groups from here." Harry told him. "Just wait and you'll see. We're approaching the mine entrance now."

As the base of the cliffs came into view through the buildings the entrance of the mines appeared. It was fully eighty metres across and fifty metres high and was surrounding in decoration and outlined by thick solid Mythril frames. Two roads led into the entrance keeping to the sides, both were filled with movement, the left was filled with two long lines of wagons moving in and out of the entrance while the one on the right, their own road was filled with soldiers and horses. What really drew their attention was the metal that ran along the ground in long lines. There were four of them in total and they ran towards them before turning away to their right and towards the warehouses, cutting through their own road.

"What's that smoke?" Sam asked suddenly pointing up above the entrance. The group all turned to look to see a large opening about a hundred metres up the cliff which belched a continuous flow of grey smoke. "Is it a cooking fire?"

"That wouldn't be a bad guess, Sam, but no it isn't." Harry shook his head. "They are escape ventilation, allowing the smoke out of the tunnels. You'll see what for in a few minutes and you'll see part of the most advanced machines in Middle-Earth.

Harry spurred his horse forward and together the fifteen of them headed towards the dark entrance. Harry could feel a slight trembling going through Pippin and hugged him back into his chest to comfort him. "It'll be fine, Pippin." He whispered into his ear. "You'll love this, I promise you."

As they approached the entrance they began to see further inside as the sun crept into the western facing entrance. It was rather nosy inside but as their eyes adjusted they began to see the deep tunnel that punched back into the mountain, supported in a hundred places by glimmering Mythril which reflected all the light back at them like chandeliers.

"To use so much Mythril for such a purpose." Gimli almost yelled. "Such a waste."

"There is billions of tons of granite above our heads, Master Dwarf. You would not wish it to fall would you?" Alex laughed. As they rode further in they finally came to what Harry wanted to show them. The roads led down the edges of the tunnel but in the centre the metal lines continued, branching off to cross the roads and enter the side tunnels. But it was down deeper that the purpose of the metal lines was made clear.

Two wooden carriages sat on the tracks, with metal wheels spaces along the bottom. The wheels were almost bigger than the Hobbits and as they saw further into the gloom they saw one of the carriages after the other, heading off down the tracks. Legolas reported seeing eight before it became too dark to see but the Gondorian turned Vampire said he could see almost twelve.

"They are called trains." Harry announced after they'd gotten over their confusion. "They use a refined Naptha fuel to create steam which we use to drive them. It's complicated but it works on the same principles as boiling a kettle of water. This is what creates the smoke you saw earlier."

"These carts do not seem to be burning." Gimli pointed out.

"At the end of these carriages are pairs of locomotives. They can pull an immense wait. This one we are heading to will take the troops while the other is fitted for equipment." Harry told them.

"This is from your world?" Legolas asked in wonder.

"This is rather old fashioned compared to our world." Harry told him, "but it is more than is necessary."

"We are to get in these?" One of the Gondorians asked.

"Yes." Harry laughed and spurred his horse forwards again, passing the carriages which were filling with horses and then passed the carriages being filled with soldiers.

"Where to?" Pippin asked him.

"To Mirkwood forest." Harry announced and turned to look at Legolas. "This system comes out just north of your borders. It was firstly designed to resupply the grey batteries and to carry out the mined stone and Mythril. There are over eight thousand miles of these tracks in the Grey Mountains."

"Mines to make a Dwarf weep." Gimli gasped out looking absolutely awed.

"A lot of the track runs across natural chambers and chasms. It's a nice route." Alex told them as they pulled to a stop and were approached by several men and women in both uniform and civilian clothing. They took their horses from them and Harry led them up a set of steps and into the carriage three behind a sleek black metal locomotive that he had to pull Pippin away from.

Harry led them into the sitting area of the carriage put aside for them. Along the first stretch were bunk beds, enough for half of them and in the far end were tables and comfortable chairs as well as a large table at the end with what was clearly a large map of Middle-Earth. As Harry let the Hobbits run around he headed towards the far end and was met by a Vampire that came from the door at the end.

"Duke Corvil." The man bowed reverently. "We are almost full, we'll be leaving within the next quarter of an hour."

"Thank you." Harry nodded and the man vanished back through the door. Harry turned to the others and nodded before seating himself in one of the chairs to wait until he had to start answering questions again.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Three hours later**

Most of the time the view out of the windows was pitch blackness but once, about half an hour into the journey they'd passed a train coming the other way, already returning from delivering troops to the east. The sight of the flashing windows of the other train as it passed was enough to send the four Hobbits flying back onto the ground since they'd been looking out of the window at the time.

It hadn't deterred them for long and even now they were watching out of the window with Legolas, Gimli and the Gondorians as they passed over a stone bridge over a natural chasm and finally able to see the speed they were moving it amazed them.

Harry glanced up from his chair where he was reading a troop report when the door at the back of the carriage opened and a Captain walked in wearing full armour, one of those on duty then. Harry stayed seated and the man turned and gestured almost harshly back through the door. Four boys scuttled inside and moved passed the beds and towards where Alex had stood up at the sight of them. Peter, George, Dalamy but most importantly Kentar.

Harry sighed and rubbed at his forehead as the boys were made to line up in the middle of the carriage in front of the standing Alex and the seated Harry. The others had all stopped to watch and they didn't seem to like the attention which was odd for the four trouble makers.

"Well?" Harry prompted the Captain kindly.

"It seems this young Lamia decided to stow away in the horse carriages. One of my men saw this other one sneaking him food." The Captain tried to hide his grin but Harry saw it and narrowed his eyes to stop the Captain from losing his self control.

"Oh, Kentar." Harry sighed and shook his head. "Thank you, Captain. I'll deal with him now. You have my thanks."

The Captain saluted and turned to return to his duty. "Boys." Alex sighed. "You've put us in a dilemma."

"We're sorry, sir!" Peter chirped up.

"You see we should get Kentar back to Dras Arget which is where his parents want him but how can we justify slowing or turning this train around when we have so much riding on it?" Alex continued. "I suppose you're versatile little boys. Throwing you out here wouldn't kill you and it's only a week's walk back to Miril. What do you think, Harry?"

Harry hid his smile and pretended to think about it. "Maybe we should slow the train a little before we throw them out?"

"There is the underground lake coming up. They'd have to be quick to swim out before they froze but I don't think they'd be at too much risk." Alex put in helpfully. Harry glanced around the room quickly. Gandalf was close to laughing while Legolas and Gimli looked on straightfaced. The Gondorians and Hobbits were staring at them in horror though.

"It's an idea." Harry sighed.

"Please!" George burst out trying to head forwards but Harry pinned him down with a stern look making his back up between his friends.

"Now, tell me who's idea this was and maybe we'll only throw the one of you out." Harry told them bluntly. "Well?"

They glanced at each other but they didn't seem to want to put the blame on Kentar who was the logical one to have devised this all. "Oh well." Alex sighed. "We'll just have to explain to four sets of parents why their sons are walking through these cold, dark and damp tunnels. Let's just hope you don't get horribly lost. You know there's so many junctions in the tracks, you can't even follow those."

"I'm sorry!" Kentar leapt forwards, clamping himself around Alex's waist as tears started. Alex raised his hands away but chuckled as Kentar continued. "It was my idea! I didn't want to be left alone. Please don't throw us out, please don't."

"Hush now, Kentar." Alex soothed and let his own hands come down onto the boys shoulders before he pulled the boy away. "We were never going to throw you out of the train."

"What?" Kentar looked up at him.

Gandalf burst out laughing and the four boys looked back at him in shock, suddenly realising that Alex and Harry had been playing with them. Harry stood up and what relief had been about to spread amongst the boys vanished. "Boys, take Sam, Frodo, Merry and Pippin back to get some food but come back here with them afterwards. I'm going to have to keep an eye on you it seems."

They bowed their heads but led the four Hobbits out in meek silence. Harry grabbed Kentar by the neck as he made to follow and shook his head at him as he looked up at him. "You and I need to talk, Kentar."

Kentar gulped but followed Harry down the carriage. Harry knelt in front of him. "You really have put me in a dilemma, Kentar. I should send you home to your parents to deal with and eventually I will but what am I supposed to do with you in the meantime?"

"I just wanted..." Kentar sobbed.

"I know what you wanted, Kentar." Harry soothed. "But you can't always run to join fights. You'll get your fair share if you really want them. Until then you need to think of others, not just yourself. How do you think your parents feel right now? Your father is in command of the garrison at Edoc'sil and your mother is in Dras Arget probably already worried about where you've gone."

"I'm sorry..." Kentar bowed his head. Harry tipped it back up to look at him again.

"I know." Harry sighed. "But I should send you back but if I did I'd have to send you back alone, I can't spare the men at the moment to escort you so I'm honour bound to ensure that no harm comes to you. You need to promise me, Kentar, that you won't do anything to put yourself in harm's way. You and your friends will protect the Halflings again and you'll all stay in the safe zones, away from the fighting. Is that clear Kentar?"

"Yes, sir." Kentar bobbed his head. Harry reached out and pulled the poor boy into a hug to calm him down. "Now go and find your friends and get yourself some food. I need to contact your parents to let them know where you are."

Kentar rubbed at his eyes before turning and running from the room. "You have a way with children, Harry." Gandalf commented, not for the first time in two millennia.

"No child should grow up like I did." Harry told him simply, again not for the first time.

Alex past by him and gently touched his shoulder. The Nuuruhuine all knew about the abuse and neglect Harry had suffered under at the hand of his mortal relatives. "We'll be arriving at the station in about ten hours." Harry told them all. "Try to get some rest, you may not realise but it is getting late now."

"And miss all of this?" Gimli asked.

"I'll have the guards wake you before we reach Vita Lex." Harry told him. "It's a place that Lord Lex discovered a long time ago. It's an underground lake at the base of a massive cavern rich with Mythril. It is diffused with the moonlight from the surface and if memory serves it is a full moon tonight. It will be beautiful to see."

"You just make sure they do." Gimli told him before heading off to wash and sleep. Harry laughed but let Alex help him sort out his wing so that he could get some sleep himself.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**East of the Old Forest Road**

The Old Forest road had been built long ago by the Elves to get from their forests in the centre of Middle Earth to their holdings in the west. After Morchaint had grown up their own Highways had branched out into their allied countries and the Old Forest Road had been repaved to Morchaint's standards. Over the last few hundred years the Elves had allowed most of it to overgrow but there were sections now that had been cleared by the Morchaint troops stationed in Mirkwood Forest after Harry and the rest of the Nuuruhuine had awakened.

The stretch closest to the East had especially been cleared so that the growing army of Elves, Dwarves and Morchaints could hide part of their army within the trees closest to the great Lake that ended the Highway and Morchaint's furthest Eastern outpost, a mere ruin now of what had been a hundred metre high stone tower.

Their train had dropped them off as close as it could, within the mountains north of Erebor, the Dwarves last remaining mountain city and it had taken four days for Harry's group to ride south, passing the Lone Mountain city and skirting along the River Running until they came to the quickly growing camp of the Morchaint army. The Elves and Dwarves had returned to their respective homes en route to collect the last of what they needed before they joined them in a week's time.

Already a massive camp was beginning to take form, canvas and wooden barracks were springing up inside and outside of the forest and while the camp only filled the gentle slope between forest and river at the moment, a few barracks were beginning to go up on the eastern side of the river.

Harry, along with Alex, Pippin, Sam, Merry, Frodo, Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf and their six Gondorian counterparts rode across the wooden slatted main roads leading down through the camp and as a whole the camp came to a standstill. A horn blared quietly in greeting and Alex raised his wings high over his head. The reminder that Harry couldn't do such a thing was clear in the air and there was a distinct stupor over Harry's troops as they bowed to the group as it passed up the road before turning towards the trees and onto ancient pavings.

A Lamia wearing well worn black and silver leathers approached them with his ruby red wings folded against his back. He bowed his head and his wings arched up in a proper salute. "General." Harry greeted recognising the man easily as the General of the Second Army that were the first to arrive and had made up the entirety of the troops that Harry had originally sent to guard Mirkwood. Chances are this camp was already in the making before they received the order to withdraw to Domia.

"My Lords." He straightened up before turning to the others. "Master Hobbits, Master Wizard, Prince Legolas, Master Dwarf and our friends from Gondor. It is a pleasure to see you all."

"Well, he certainly knows how to greet people." Gandalf muttered loud enough for them all to hear.

"Accommodation has not yet been prepared for you. I was not sure what you would require though there are both small and large tree levels and tents at your disposal." The General told them all, though he directed it to the others rather than at Harry and Alex.

"There is no way I am going up another ruddy tree!" Gimli grunted. "Once was more than enough."

"A large tent within the forest would probably suit them, General Harand." Harry glanced around and saw no objections. "Away from the camp areas preferably. The Hobbits are not used to the noises of an army."

"Of course, my Lord." Harand nodded. "I have one in mind with a stables attached. I shall show you now if you wish and have hot water and food sent to you. You may wish to unhorse however. We have followed the Elves wishes and not trimmed the trees and it is low in many places."

Legolas nodded in satisfaction and the group slowly got off their horses, helping the Hobbits and Gimli down after them. Harry walked his horse into the forest at Harand's side. "What of numbers so far, General?"

"There are ten thousand in the army here, my Lord." Harand told him. "One thousand Lamia, Four thousand Vampire and the rest human."

"What of reports?" Harry asked. "Have you heard anything from the south-west or west?"

"A forward party of a hundred has already arrived from Rivendell with Lord Elrond's twin sons. They say that the bulk of his army will arrive in five days time." Harand informed him. "We have yet to hear anything from the south-west but you are the first to arrive with the power to extend your mind that far."

"Ah, I will find out later for you." Harry nodded. "The Dwarves and Mirkwood Elves will not be longer than the week. The trains are bringing them east as we speak along with our own troops. The bulk of the first army should be hear by the end of three days. We rode on ahead."

"Is there anything you require?" Harand asked as they approached a light green tent easily large enough to house a hundred people comfortably.

"Not for now, General, but I wish to call a meeting of all commanders an hour before sunset." Harry told him. "Can you make sure that the Rivendell twin menaces are made aware?"

The General snorted in amusement but bowed to him one final time before calling out orders in Morchaint's version of Elvish to a few servants that had followed them into the forest.

"Oh, General." Alex spoke up. "In the forward party of the First Army are four Lamia boys. Kentar, Peter, George and Dalamy. They'll arrive the day after tomorrow. Have them brought straight here, they'll bunk with us."

"Of course, my Lord." The General didn't question this, normally the boys too young to fight either stayed with their parents or lived in a common tent under the eyes of the warriors that trained them. He wouldn't question the orders of a Nuuruhuine though.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**South-East border of Mirkwood**

Aragorn rode beside his wife. He was wearing travellers garb identical to what he had always worn as a Ranger when he'd lived a life out of Rivendell, skirting the Bloodplains and avoiding Morchaint patrols. It had now turned in the other direction and he was heading straight towards the largest gathering of armies since the first fall of Sauron. He was taking a Gondorian army directly towards the Morchaint army and as he had noticed over the last week, his own men were more than a little nervous about the prospect.

On his other side rode Théoden and Eomer. They and their army had joined them at the River Anduin. Around them all was a contingent of riders from both the Rohirrim and Gondorians made up of the best especially after Théoden's encounters with the slaughtered Rohirrim villages that had been placed to ambush the Fellowship returning to Morchaint. The thought of Morchaint drew his eyes across the forest they rode past and over the distant North-western horizon. Just a few days ago the wind had brought a large black cloud onto the horizon and it had been decided it was smoke, travelling south. The wind had settled back into its normal Easterly direction soon after and the cloud had disappeared into the west.

When they'd received word that Dras Arget had held firm against an army of half a million it had shocked all in the army, Rohirrim and Gondorian alike and there were many who worried that they'd arrive at the meeting point, given to Arwen by Archie only to find the remnants of a tired and torn nation. They'd already been amassed at the Anduin river for word from the besieged city however and had set out and now in front and behind them stretched an army of humans both on horse and on foot. Fifty-eight thousand Gondorians and twenty-five thousand Rohirrim with a total of thirty thousand horses between them. Along with their support personnel and supply chain they numbered near to one hundred thousand and were almost thirty miles in length as they marched.

A shocked intake of breath had him spinning in his seat to catch his wife as she tensed and slipped out of her saddle. His horse stopped at the fuss and one of the guards quickly leapt from his horse and helped ease her to the ground. Their contingent ground to a halt and the rest of the army slowly continued past them. There was a rumbling as a long wagon rolled passed with a broken up Gondorian Trebuchet on the back. One of twenty-five.

Aragorn cradled her head and opened her eyes. They were flickering back and forth and Aragorn sighed in defeat knowing that she spoke to one of the Nuuruhuine again. "Bring food and a hot drink!" Aragorn ordered the guardsman who nodded and rose to do as ordered. She'd need the help recovering soon enough.

_"Aragorn looks concerned."_ Harry told Arwen in amusement.

_"I wouldn't know. I cannot monitor my body and talk to you at the same time. I suppose you can do that and monitor my own surroundings at the same time."_ She sighed in her own mind knowing that her mind couldn't accept Harry's mind and her own body signals at the same time.

_"That I can."_ Harry told her. _"Where are you?"_

_"We are with the Rohirrim about ten miles north of the southernmost tip of Mirkwood." _She told him. _"The front of our army should arrive in three days, the rest over the next day or so."_

Harry talked to her at length about what the army comprised but she had her limits when it came to talking directly to his mind. He withdrew to allow her to continue her own journey.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Morchaint Camp – Mirkwood**

The meeting tent sat in the eaves of the forest, looking out from a vantage point over the army filling the space between the forest and the lake. Harry was standing behind a table with a map and many small figures for military units. Harry had been updating it with Rohirrim, Gondorian and Lothlorien Elves for the last hour as he contacted Arwen and Galadriel. "Eight-three thousand from Gondor and Rohan." Harry told the gathered people. "And another thirteen thousand Elves from Lothlorien."

"Eight thousand from Rivendell." One of the Rivendell Twins told the room as a whole. Harry glanced around quickly, taking in their expressions. Apart from himself and Alex there was the twins and two Rivendell Lords as well as General Harand and his command staff. Gandalf was leaning on his wooden staff as he studied the map and Gimli and Legolas stood at his sides. There were a number of Human, Vampire and Lamia Captains throughout the tent as well.

"King Thranduil has promised us seventy thousand." Harry nodded to Legolas who smiled at him. "And lastly King Thorin has promised us his army. Fifty-two thousand Dwarves."

Gimli almost seemed to glow at Harry's respectful tone and Harry bowed his head to him. "What of your numbers?" One of the twins asked.

"So far we have the ten thousand here but we'll soon be joined by the rest of our army. We're leaving twenty thousand behind in the form of the third army in Edoc'sil as a spring board in case they get anything past us. They have orders to protect all nations against invasion." Harry told them. "In all, when we leave here on the summer solstice we shall have three hundred and eighty five thousand though that number includes our engineers and support. Around three hundred and fifty thousand fighting men and women. Fifty thousand on horseback."

"That means your army makes up three fifths of our numbers." One of the Elven Lords told them in awe. "Five hundred and seventy six thousand."

"That's indeed a large number of soldiers." Legolas commented. "How long can we support such a number."

"Our own stores and network alone should be able to support the combined army for six months." Alex told them. "Our engineers are already bringing the tracks down across the plains to Erebor with Thorin's permission. Once complete in two months we can use Erebor as a resupply base."

Gimli grinned again and Harry chuckled. The Dwarf was immensely proud of his home and he'd gone on non-stop about it as they'd ridden past its base.

"We seem to have some time on our hands." Harry announced in way of closing off the briefing. He moved forward and fondly studied the figures placed to show the disposition of his armies along the Grey Mountains. Alex rested a hand on his back and Harry turned to him. "I will be so immensely relieved when this is over and I can give over command to those like the Nuru Noste." He sighed out so that only Gandalf, Gimli, Legolas and, of course, Alex could hear him. Gandalf smiled at him softly and just as the rest of the group were about to back out of the room Harry and Alex stepped back and turned and before anybody could blink had vanished from the room, moving fast enough to shock their allies. Only Legolas, the Rivendell Lords and their own Lamia and Vampires had even seen a blur leave through the entrance to the tent.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Morchaint Camp – A few days later**

Harry stood beside the river along the wooden planking that made up the majority of the busier roads within the camp. He'd just spent three hours with the Hobbits, Legolas and the four Lamia boys up in the archery range teaching the four Hobbits how to shoot with a bow and though Harry had had to order four new bows to be made to a better standard than the training bows that their children learned with they had done rather well and were coming along well.

The advanced scouts of the Rohirrim and Gondorian combined army had arrived a few hours ago with word that the front edge of their army would arrive soon. The arriving Morchaint armies had spread out onto the eastern bank of the river and now completely surrounded the lake. Over two hundred thousand now resided in the camp with another eighty thousand to arrive before the end of the day including their Gondorian and Rohirrim counterparts. Tents had been raised enough for the arriving allies so they'd be able to move in quickly and easily without causing their camp planners any trouble.

The eight scouts on horseback had brought word that King Elessar, as Aragorn was now officially known, Queen Arwen and King Theoden were at the head of the army and would arrive with the first group. That was to be soon and Harry could already see his Dunedain friend as they approached the edge of the camp.

"Sound the call." Harry ordered. "We have two Kings approaching."

A Lamia of Patia's lineage bowed to him and raised his horn to his lips blowing out a gentle call interspersed with short flitting pauses. The call was taken up by the lookouts and up at the command tent by a dozen or more others. When it finished another horn started from up by the trees and a few more joined it. Elvin horns greeting their allies.

It took only a few seconds before Aragorn and Theoden ordered a return and Gondorian and Rohirrim horns joined the call. Harry stepped out to meet the three Royals and they pulled their skittish horses to a halt. Unfortunately Harry couldn't collapse his wings. Their personal guards spread out forming a loose horseshoe far away from Harry so it couldn't be perceived that they were guarding their Kings and Queen from him.

"Greetings from Morchaint. King Elessar, King Theoden and Queen Arwen." Harry bowed his head. His wings folded against his back prevented him from looking inferior to the three horse borne Royals.

"Duke Corvil." Theoden returned with a smile before gracefully slipping off his horse. Harry offered his hand and they clasped wrists in greeting as one of the Gondorian scouts moved to help Queen Arwen from her horse and Aragorn climbed off himself. Harry repeated the gesture to Aragorn before kissing Arwen's hand gently.

"Harry, how have you been?" Aragorn asked.

They was a shimmer through the watching Morchaint troops, Lamia, Vampire and human alike and Aragorn picked it up easily. "Perhaps my own injuries can be overlooked with the news that Dras Arget is still standing and Nacraemeus is dead?" Harry spoke loud enough to make it clear he was addressing everyone.

"What happened to you?" Aragorn asked.

"I took some injuries in Nacraemeus' last moments." Harry admitted. "I won't be flying for some time." He told them as he weakly opened his right wing to show the tears and shredding there. Aragorn gasped and Arwen covered her mouth in surprise. "I should just say that my people do not like to see one of their founders wounded. They are overly respectful towards my injury but it will keep me from flying with my Lamia during this campaign. It is a shame."

"You've done more than your fair share, Duke Corvil." Theoden told him.

"So have the two of you yet here you are." Harry laughed before turning to the scouts that had arrived earlier. "You know where your armies will reside. Please show them down across the ford." He turned back to the Kings and Queen. "We've already erected enough tents for your armies though we'll give them into your care as we march. Would you like two tents erected within your own armies or near the command tents?"

"I think with an army this size it may be prudent to be closer to the command tents." Theoden nodded. "How many are here?"

Harry grinned. "By the end of the day we will have approximately two hundred and eighty thousand." He paused for their surprise to settle. "By the time Mirkwood, Rivendell, Lothlorien, Erebor and the last parts of my army arrive we will have almost six hundred thousand."

"The vast majority is your own army I assume." Aragorn looked awed.

"We were ready for this war and have been fighting it for many centuries. In time your own nations will come to rest as our equals for only when all are equal can all reside in peace." Harry told them solemnly.

"Well said." Arwen spoke up with a smile.

"Ah!" Harry turned to look up over the trees. "You are in time to see the Lamia arrive."

"Are they not already here?" Aragorn asked.

"The Vampires, humans and equipment as well as the Mirkwood Elves and Dwarves came by another means but there was little point in restricting the Lamia from their flight." Harry waved to the west. "Watch."

Even as he stopped speaking a winged figure appeared over the trees. His dark wings made it clear he was old. Archie collapsed his wings as he levelled with Harry and landed with a soft thud just as a hundred winged Lamia appeared over the trees. That hundred quickly doubled, then tripled and soon the sky over them was filled with Lamia, levelled up so that guessing their numbers was impossible.

Harry turned back to the staring human Kings and smiling Elvin Queen but a movement off to the side caught his attention and a moment later Lex stepped out of the shadows. Around them the entirety of the Nuuruhuine appeared, even Alex who had been with Legolas and Gimli until then. When Arwen, Aragorn and Theoden looked back at him they jumped in surprise at the sight of the dark beings with their wings over their heads. Their guards shifted nervously.

"Kings and Queen of Middle-Earth, may I formally introduce you to the Nuuruhuine in their entirety. You are the first non-Morchaint humans to see us all together in more than a thousand years." Harry smiled at them gently.

"Incredible." Theoden breathed out in awe. "You are all to fight with us?"

"We are." Lex spoke out, his grey wings more soothing for the guards' nerves than their dark counterparts.

Archie moved to Harry's side and leant in, whispering in his ear to make it clear he was talking to him. "I can sense a new mind." Archie whispered. "Nicole can sense it too. Arwen is with child."

Harry glanced at him and a grin twitched at his lips. He turned back to their guests and his eyes settled on Arwen with a glimmer of light in them. Arwen frowned at him. Harry let it go for the time being and turned back to Kings. "You and your personal guards will stay in tents up in the trees where the Elves and Nuuruhuine will stay. If you'll follow me."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Later that evening**

Harry ate from a small bowl of cherries that sat on the edge of the planning table. The camp was building in size and less and less of the figurines were outside of the camp, just about a hundred thousand of his own troops, the three armies of Elves, the Dwarves and the second half of the Gondorian-Rohirrim army that had camped out to the south for the night rather than march through the night.

He could easily hear that the Gondorian and Rohirrim were still filing in by the noise of their horses and armour clanking as they settled in. Still a column marched in, lit by torch light. Harry looked up as somebody walked in the open western end of the tent. It the doorway stood Arwen. She glanced down at the table and lifted a figure that represented part of Rivendell's army. "My father comes?"

"He should be here the day after tomorrow." Harry nodded speaking very softly.

"Is there anything he can do about your wing?" She asked. "Or perhaps drinking from an Elf may help?"

"Elvin blood will boost us more than human blood, Queen Arwen, but it won't aid our healing, not for an injury like this." Harry told her. "Besides a lady in your state should not be offering blood."

"What do you mean?" Arwen frowned trying to work out if she should take that as an affront.

Harry laughed gently. "You do not yet realise then?"

"You and your riddles!" Arwen cursed. "My father used to rant so dramatically about you. Used to curse bad tidings on you."

Harry laughed. "Archie has the ability to sense minds and Nicole has the ability to sense lives. They cannot be mistaken. There is a life growing inside you, Queen Arwen." She gasped and her hand flickered to her abdomen without control. "I take it this is news to you? I expect it is new."

"Elves don't..."

"I know." Harry nodded before she finished the sentence. "It is rare to have children this quickly but Aragorn is a human after all. You had best tell him I think."

She bit her lip. "Will you send for him?"

Harry chuckled. "Afraid to tell him yourself?"

"You seem to have had more practice at it than me." Arwen laughed musically.

"I've told this news to by descendents. I have been at the births of my own grandchildren with far too many greats to bother going into." Harry chuckled.

"Will you send for him?" She asked again.

"I already have." Harry grinned at her cheekily. "I hope you know this means you cannot remain in this army?"

"What?" She gasped.

"You father would try to kill me." Harry said simply. "I can't allow the Prince of Gondor to come to harm."

Alex's mind brushed over his own and he stopped talking just as Aragorn walked into the tent and eyed his wife and friend suspiciously. He was wearing leather trousers and an undone cotton shirt over his torso. "Were you sleeping, my little King?" Harry asked teasingly.

"Funny, Harry." Aragorn glared. "Is there something you needed?"

"Evidently your husband does not like being awoken by a Nuuruhuine." Harry chuckled. "I need to discuss with you the transport of your wife back along the Old Forest Road to Edoc'sil."

"What?" Aragorn flinched in surprise.

"Once Dras Arget is extinguished she can return with my garrison to there. She will be safe there." Harry told him regardless of the fact he was simply fuelling his confusion. "If you wish to send personal guards with her you may as I am sure Lord Elrond will do."

"Enough Harry!" Aragorn almost yelled. "What are you talking about? Arwen can protect herself. She's an Elf and you even have human women in your army."

"It is not that she is a woman, Aragorn." Harry paused and corrected himself. "Actually it is if you think about it. Arwen?"

Aragorn looked to her husband. "Two of the Nuuruhuine sensed something in me when they arrived earlier." Arwen sighed. "Aragorn? I'm pregnant."

Aragorn looked between the two in shock and he swallowed a few times before staring at Arwen before his eyes rolled up into his head and he fell backwards. Arwen gasped and dashed forward and lifted his head off the ground just as he was coming back around. Harry laughed and she looked up at him accusingly. "You could have caught him!"

"Yes, but fainting at that news doesn't have the same effect if you don't hit the ground." Harry grinned at her cheekily before turning to the entrance, he paused in the doorway and looked to the Citadel guard that stood there eyeing the Vampire from Nuru Noste that was his own guard. "Your King seems to have had a fainting spell. Please go and find a cool drink for him."

The Vampire looked at him in surprise, taking in his amused features. He'd probably been close enough to hear the conversation.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A week later**

Harry had been very busy the last few days. He knew that his nation would run on its own without his interference and the rest of the Nuuruhuine could have easily kept an eye over the plans for the upcoming war but as more and more armies joined their own the strategy sessions became more and more complex and more than not it degraded to niggling comments between the Captains of the armies.

Harry had put a stop to quite a few planning sessions for just that reason and even bared his teeth in a few to silence Gondorian Captains. But it wasn't just the humans causing the problems. There was a lot of superior feelings when it came to the Elves, Vampires, Lamia and Dwarves and a lot of history between them and Morchaint.

It all came down to this though. The day when the slower elements of their army broke camp and started heading out to the North-East towards the Iron Hills where the founding city of the Necromancers lay. With it went all their siege equipment, including the eighty-five massive trebuchets that formed the bulk of Morchaint's ballistic weaponry. They were mounted in pairs on the back of wide rolling platforms and covered by thick material to hide their design and also to confuse any scouts from the enemy so they didn't know what was supplies and what was equipment.

To guard them thirty thousand Morchaint humans and Vampires as well as ten thousand Elves from the three different countries, five thousand Dwarves and twenty thousand of the Gondorian-Rohirrim army walked or rode out with them and in a few hours three thousand Lamia would spread their wings to follow and act as scouts. With them Lex and Patia would fly out and Jesu would follow them to place some serious elemental powers on their side.

The main bulk of the army would leave in a few days and would catch them up within the week but the riders among the combined army, all one hundred and eighty thousand of them would go east along the river and sweep around the main army and strike out towards the Rhun countries, wiping out anything tainted by Necromancy as they went and also protecting the flank of the drawn out army as it moved towards the Iron Hills bases.

Harry watched as the army moved out listening to the deep thump of the Morchaint drums as they moved and it wasn't long before the Morchaint troops broke formalities and instead of marching, walked and sung together, emphasising the bastardised Elvish words with thumps of their weapons and shields. It wouldn't be long before there were rounds around the army of their different songs but it would make the long journey more bearable for them.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two weeks later**

The Iron hills were a large horseshoe opening up to the Northwest and the mountains, though smaller than the Grey Mountains were capped by snow as they approached. Harry, after many arguments between the Nuuruhuine, had ridden with Aragorn, Theoden, Elrond, Thorin, Galadriel and Celeborn and as part of the main army that had overtaken and ridden with the equipment. There were very few horses in this section of the army but at these speeds it mattered little.

Harry had wanted to ride with the flanking army into the Rhun territories but because of his injuries he had been overruled by the other Nuuruhuine so he had accepted to ride with the other leaders of the nations leaving their children and the other Nuuruhuine to lead the riders south east and then north again. All of Morchaint knew that Harry wasn't happy about leading from the rear but they all respected that it was necessary and any word about it from the other races was quickly cut off by harsh words from his own nation.

Legolas had gone to lead the Elven riders in his father's stead and it was the first time in a long while that Harry had seen Gimli without Legolas around and the Dwarf had refused to ride with another Elf or even Harry and had taken to sitting on one of the Dwarven siege weapons along with the four Hobbits and their protectors, the four Lamia boys, telling the eight of them stories of Dwarven battles of old. Even a few skirmishes between Morchaint and the Dwarven armies in the first few decades. Harry found the changes in the details rather amusing but noticed Elrond, Galadriel, Celeborn, Thranduil, Jesu, Lex and Patia, who were the only ones to remember those days kept quiet.

Gandalf and Aragorn had ridden with the other army and it was officially Aragorn's command even though he rode with sixteen members of the two millennia old Nuuruhuine. Theoden had wanted to go but Harry had pointed out that leaving the Gondorian and Rohirrim parts of this army without a human leader was possibly not a great idea and he had acquiesced and ridden with them.

**"My Lord."** A Lamia ran up to the side of his horse and kept pace easily enough at their slow pace. Harry glanced at him, he was one of Archie's descendents, one of the eldest at just over five hundred and Harry had set him to communicating with the Lamia that were scouting out from the air.

**"Go on."** Harry replied in their own language.

**"We've detected a scouting party about ten miles in front of the head of the line."** He told Harry. **"What are your orders?"**

Harry was about to order the Lamia to wipe them out but remembered he was only one of eight overall leaders. He turned to the others looking between Galadriel, Celeborn, Thranduil, Elrond and Theoden on their horses and Thorin on the closest Dwarven wagon. The seven he had with him without Aragorn around. "My Lamia scouts have detected a scouting party in our path. What would you like them to do?"

"My votes for wiping them out." Throin grunted. "Can you handle that?" He jeered good naturedly.

"Would you like me to do it from where I sit, my stout King?" Harry asked with a perfectly straight face, silencing the humour on the Dwarf's face before he turned to the Elves and Theoden. "It'll take too long to go around them and they'll merely scurry back to report our numbers."

"Surely they can see the army by now from those hills." Theoden pointed out.

"Indeed." Harry nodded. "Their traditions must be upheld however and I'm sure they've sent this bunch out just to scare a few of our men. Probably old dead. They'll probably hope to kill a group of scouts and resurrect them and turn them on our own army."

"Demoralise us?" Celeborn guessed though he already knew that was the answer.

"Have your Lamia kill them." Galadriel spoke up airily.

Harry glanced around briefly to make sure nobody had any objections before he turned back to the waiting Lamia. **"Do it."** Harry told him. **"But wait until the last moment, show our allies what the Lamia can do."**

**"My Lord."** The Lamia spread his wings and paused for only a moment before leaping up just as a gust of wind swept past. The wind caught his brown wings and threw him up into the air and back over their heads making the allies around them watch in surprise.

It was maybe another twenty minutes before Harry pointed his companions in the directions of the rapidly moving Lamia that had slowly spiralled in on the front of the army. Just as the army approached that point, almost fifty miles ahead of their own group the Lamia all collapsed their wings and in a rather ostentatious spiral they dropped to the ground, only touching once to kill before they glided back over the army. It was obvious to most of the army what was happening and the screams of the Undead almost drowned out the few Morchaint horns that blew from the front of the line and the Nuru Noste led Vanguard. Their position of honour within the Morchaint army.

"How many make up the average enemy scouting party?" Theoden asked.

"We have seen anything from twenty Undead and a single Necromancer to a group of fifty with a few leaders." Thranduil told his human companion.

"Jesu has just told me it's approximately eighty in the group ahead." Harry flinched slightly and his teeth bared over his lower lip in anger making them all look at him. "We were right about their intentions, they are new Undead. Women and children mostly. They hoped to lull a group of scouts with the presence of a group of refugees fleeing an approaching army."

"Children?" Celeborn gasped and Harry looked at him in sadness. "It isn't so uncommon. Many children die in their first six years. The number is lower in Morchaint, Gondor and Rohan but still rather high in the Eastern countries. They make good Undead according to Nacraemeus."

A figure dropped to the ground in front of them and flared his wings high over his head. The darker wings of a Nuuruhuine. Theoden's horse reared up but the human King calmed it expertly as Jesu folded his wings behind his back.

"Pregnant women, Harry!" Jesu spat. "Children of less than three!"

Harry swore something rather unpleasant from their old world and Jesu shook his head. "Burn the bodies, Jesu." Harry told him abruptly. "Before the head of the army reaches the site."

"What?" Theoden gasped, knowing that Harry was trying to cover it up.

"Do you want your men seeing the torn apart bodies of pregnant women and young children, King Theoden?" Harry almost snapped and Harry's horse jigged to the side as it noticed Harry's irritation. "People my Lamia just slaughtered?"

"They're Undead." Thorin spat.

"Two days old at most." Jesu shook his head. "A normal group of humans wouldn't have even realised they were raised."

"Burn them, Jesu." Harry spoke sternly. Jesu nodded and spread his wings out. With a dull thud he was in the air and away to the North-East. It wasn't long before a trail of smoke was rising there. "Trust me, my friends. Seeing a group of fifty or more slaughtered women and children just before they go into battle will not do your troops any good."

Despite Harry's efforts to cover up the scene it was obvious to his own seasoned troops what they had killed and a low murmer of singing sprouted up from the front of his army as it spread out over the plains. It was sung so softly and gently with long cadences and pauses that it brought a feeling of mourning to the rest of the army even if their human and Dwarven allies couldn't understand the words. There were in fact two lyrics being sung, each pair would sing a different side of the song. One half promising to make peace while the other side promised revenge for those that had died for no reason.

"What do they sing about?" Theoden asked.

"I have not the heart to tell you, friend." Thranduil sighed.

The song came to an end almost an hour of repetitions later and Harry let the silence spread for a time before he pulled his sword and directed his horse up to the Dwarven wagon. He smiled at Galadriel for a brief second before striking one of the Dwarven shields with the pommel. He started a rhythm of beats that all of Morchaint would recognise and the depressed atmosphere shifted at the signal for the new song. The pattern was continued forwards and backwards along the army until every Morchaint soldier with a shield was continuing it. Even some of the other armies took up the rhythm. Singing started again and this time it was happy and there was laughing.

Galadriel smiled at Harry and nodded. Harry smiled and sheathed his sword with a flourish. His message clear. It didn't matter what horrors they saw here, they'd have celebrations once they had their victory.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next evening**

Harry watched from the top of one of the still loaded siege weapons that sat ready to be into position over the night. They were lined up in line across the entrance to the Rotten Valley as the Morchaint population tended to call the horseshoe valley of the Iron Hills. His own weapons were interspersed by the Gondorian and Dwarven siege weapons though the Morchaint wagons sat only in every other of their slots since there were two placed on each wagon.

The army camped out within the valley itself and already tents had spread out across the valley floor from edge to edge and a thick wall of defences were going up ready for their first night in the hostile area. Outside of the growing wall of wagons were the support wagons and command tents and the stabling areas which were growing fast, ready for the riders to return the next evening, set to arrive at the end of his own chain. Jesu, Lex and Patia alighted around him on the sides of the hidden timbers and their wings folded against their backs.

**"What of it?"** Harry asked in their own language and far too quiet for any Elf, Vampire or Lamia to hear from the milling troops on the ground. Jesu made to speak but paused as they watched wagons draw to a halt on the defensive line and the canvas' were drawn off to reveal fully built watch towers, twenty feet tall lying on their sides.

**"The city is filled with Undead."** Jesu told him. **"Around one hundred and fifty thousand."**

**"On top of what Nacraemeus brought to Dras Arget." **Patia pointed out. **"We didn't expect that many."**

**"It's still not enough to pose a threat to this army."** Harry shook his head, pointing out the obvious.

**"Whoever is in command of Necropolis must have realised what we would do as soon as Nacraemeus was killed."** Lex spoke up using the name of the city that was only decades younger than Dras Arget and had also never been conquered in battle. Ron had never been that original but since he had taken over the original ruins of the Necropolis on Earth he'd decided to flaunt that victory at the Nuuruhuine upon this world. **"Archie says that every graveyard they've gotten to has been emptied. Most about a year ago but a lot are recent, only a month ago."**

Harry paused as he watched three of the watch towers tipped lengthways off of their wagons. Sharp spikes on the base sliced into the ground and soon the towers stood tall and proud, more and more joining them in a long line that would be guarded by all races over the night.

"Harry!" Pippin yelled up at them from the base of the wagon. "Lady Galadriel sent me! They are meeting in the command tent."

"You're ordering me now are you, Pip?" Harry grinned down at him and in a blur of movement he was standing on the ground next to Pip. He glanced at his three friends with a nod to ask them to go with him. As one they spread their wings and vanished up into the sky, heading for the command tent. Harry wrapped an arm around Pippin's shoulders and together they walked across the camp towards the silver and black command tent which even now was guarded by no fewer than sixty humans, Vampires, Lamia, Elves and Dwarves.

"I've waited thousands of years to see this, Pip." Harry told him gently.

"What?" Pip asked in confusion.

"These five races should have been friends from the start." Harry told him. "This is a time of renewal for all allegiances."

"What about Hobbits?" Pippin asked. "We're a race too you know."

"You were left out before because you were so young but now the four of you have proven yourselves and I promise it won't be overlooked." Harry told him before pulling him inside the command tent already smelling the other three in there as well as about forty other people including the Hobbits' escorts.

Patia, Lex and Jesu were already there standing in the shadows near the back between the flags of the different nations and in some cases the different regiments of the Gondorian military. The map on the table had already been laid out with the growing camp on it.

"Have your scouts found out anything about what lies behind those walls?" Theoden asked to start off the meeting.

"If by scouts you mean Lord Jesu, Lord Lex and Lady Patia? Then yes." Harry cut them off from asking what they'd discovered. "There are around one hundred and fifty Undead behind the walls.

"Likely fifty thousand living and Necromancers too." Jesu continued for him.

"And who commands them?" Elrond asked.

"We do not know." Harry told them simply. "Nacraemeus wasn't in the habit of naming second-in-commands so it could be any of the more powerful Necromancers who took up the role. Probably with the deaths of several other contenders."

"What is your plan for attack?" Thorin asked.

"Do any among you wish to capture this city?" Harry asked quietly. "Does anybody think that taking prisoners is necessary?"

"I don't think anybody really wants either of those." Galadriel spoke up when nobody else did.

"We'll close to ballistic range and raise the city from a distance." Harry told them simply gesturing at the little mock figures of the trebuchets. "You all saw the power of our catapults at Minis Tirith but you'll see that what we brought with us here are much more powerful. Along with your own equipment we'll be able to fight most of this battle from a distance."

"Over two days or more!" Thranduil commented. "It takes time to load, aim and fire catapults, longer for trebuchets."

Harry glanced at Lex who was the better of the engineers amongst them. It had been him that had designed and helped build the trains. "A few hours at most." Lex said simply. "We'll have the gate down within the half hour or less. I took a look at it. It looks new."

"It'd have to be." Harry snorted. "Alex destroyed the last one six hundred years ago."

"We'll defend our own lines with our troops and use the riders only if their army comes out." Theoden nodded as if agreeing to a previously spoken suggestion. "Such a sudden and decisive levelling of this city will ring through our enemies and show what the combined western nations can achieve."

"My thoughts exactly." Harry nodded. "At daybreak in two days we'll roll our engines forwards and attack."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Sunrise – Two days later**

The army marched forwards up the valley and came to a halt far out of range of normal catapults. Harry stood on a wagon at the back of the army with the other leaders and surrounded by the Nuuruhuine and the other nations leaders' personal guards. It was a truly mighty army that spread out across the valley and that was ignoring the fact that several thousand Lamia were spread out over the hills looking for escape tunnels and people trying to escape the city.

Harry nodded to Lex as the army came to a halt and pennants were raised throughout the front of the army to show the five hundred units were in place. Lex lifted his horn to his lips and blew out a series of notes and a ringing round of loud cracks filled the air as he stopped. It had drawn confusion from their allies when the Gondorians and Dwarves had put together their siege equipment yet the Morchaint weapons had lain under their covers. Even if they'd been lifted from their wagons this morning to roll down to the front lines they were still covered.

Now eighty canvas-covered machines seemingly woke up as their engineers sprung to life. Almost as one they arched up into the air, folding at the middle and spreading out on tracks built into their bases. Their canvas covers were pulled back off of them showing gleaming Mythril re-enforced timbers and such strangely designed systems that they were hard to work out. Not all were strange however. Almost thirty of the machine were recognised as larger than normal trebuchets.

The fifty strange weapons sat at eighteen metres in height with a wide base but what was most interesting is that instead of just the one arm that led from a weight to the projectile there was just the one arm but with equal spans that led to two projectile catchers. A series of stoat gears sat up the side and metal belts leading to a spring assisted rotor device mounted as part of the counterbalance at the back.

"What on Middle-Earth are they?" Aragorn gasped. There was a ripple of noise throughout the army as the malicious looking machines appeared within their front line, making their own trebuchets look meek in comparison.

"Catapults." Harry said simply. "Of a kind."

"They don't work on centrifugal force." Theoden frowned.

"They are tough to start up but once in motion the falling arm generates a counterbalance for the lifting one for the start up." Lex started but Harry snorted and his friend trailed off.

"They'll soon see your artwork, Lex." Harry laughed before raising his hand. "If you don't mind we'd like our own engines to fire first. Our people have been waiting a long time for this day."

"Please, Harry." Galadriel nodded to him. "You have been fighting this war longer than any other."

Harry glanced around and saw no contradiction in any of the others. He turned and raised a clenched fist knowing that all of his Engineer Captains were watching the command podium. He dropped his fist down towards the City and as one the Lamia in the army leapt up into the sky to assess damage and to draw attention away from the ground engines. A rending creak echoed through the valley as they trebuchets were drawn back and the fifty rotating catapults started to life, turning slowly before picking up speed.

"Crysta." Harry whispered and she nodded before throwing a hand into the air setting light to the air far above them as a signal that could be seen rather than heard over their whining engines. The Trebuchets were released and thirty rumblings were heard as each took the strain of a three tone chiselled ball and launched them up into the air. Second later there was a rain of thumps as the rows of smaller meteor like stones were placed into the feeders of the rotating catapults and the first fifty and then the second fifty were launched into the air.

In all one hundred and thirty stones were in the air before the trebuchet rounds started back down, far behind the city walls. There was a dull roar as they first shots struck home and clouds of rock and dust flew into the air. The Trebuchets were aimed at the main citadel at the top of the cliff side city while the rotating catapults struck home on the outer walls and the lower levels aiming for the gates, defences and the few trebuchets that lined the walls.

The first dozen return shots arched into the air and a stillness spread through the troops even though the siege teams kept up their work. By the time the first return shots struck home, short, their own trebuchets were being aimed again and eight shots had flown from the catapults. The Dwarven catapults reacted to the deep horn blown from one of Thorin's Captains and Aragorn signalled his own General to order an open fire.

"Incredible." Thorin moved to Harry's side as the gates imploded in under the stress of over a hundred direct strikes and soon the walls were beginning to crumble.

"The gates fell faster than anticipated." Harry commented to Lex. "Those teams should be complimented."

"The gates are open. Do you want to move on?" Alex asked quietly though all on the wagon heard him.

"Move on?" Thranduil asked warily.

"As destructive as this is a stone will only kill one, maybe two Undead. Collateral damage won't keep them down." Harry explained before shaking his head at Alex. "Let more of the wall come down."

Harry watched the devastation even as the army took to clanging sword and shields together in a slow pace almost reminiscent of the rotating catapults. Harry knew it wasn't just his own engines doing damage, the Dwarven machines were very powerful and their shots slammed through stone like it was wood. The Gondorian engines weren't anything remarkable in comparison but they had a lot to learn.

As three sections of the wall were overcome by gravity Harry nodded to Alex who raised his horn to his lips calling another long call. The Trebuchets didn't alter their firing at the main citadel but the rotating catapults were now no longer actually launching anything up at the city. A few moments later and smaller projectiles went up in the stead of stones and landed either on or over the walls before with a dull thud of air they exploded even as another round landed.

"Naptha!" Legolas gasped.

"You plan to burn them out?" Celeborn commented more than asked.

"We rather hope they'll stay in there." Patia commented dryly. "Less for our troops to have to worry about. They'll have enough to do out in the plains mopping up after the Necromancers as it is."

Fires began to flicker behind the walls and smoke was collecting, spiralling up past the citadel but the trebuchets had their aim now and their shots disappeared through the smoke. If anybody was screaming within the city they couldn't hear it over the roaring of stones, fire and creaking wood and the dull thumping of their troops as they cheered and bashed their shields.

A rumbling crack reached them first and Harry tensed regretting again that his wings twitched without the ability to open like the other Nuuruhuines' wings did. "The Lamia report that the citadel is collapsing." Archie told him, listening to the mental voices of his descendents.

The smoke climbing from the city roiled as something passed through it before exploding outwards as it was blotted out by the tall structure of the central citadel as it subsided down over the city, crushing almost a fifth of the city all the way past the outer wall towards their army. Cheers drowned out even the siege engines and Harry shared a smile with his husband as the dreaded city crumbled slowly into itself under the might of the combined Western Army.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A week later**

Harry spread his wings slowly and a large grin spread across his face and his incisors lengthened at the feel of his wings finally taking their own weight. He folded his right wing around himself and studied the soft feathers and newly healed folds of skin and finally the muscles and tendons that gave it so much awesome power.

With a snap of his wings he took off from the front of the command tent where he was being watched by the Elvin Lords and Lady and with a few flaps of his powerful wings he was a hundred feet in the air, hovering with strong strikes of his wings. Luckily muscle entropy wasn't something experienced by Vampires.

A loud cheer echoed through the Rotting Valley where the camp had remained and Harry looked around his army, finally able to see it from such a vantage. Almost half of the army was missing, spread out in five smaller armies over the land formally controlled by the Necromancers, going to all the villages and either purging them of Undead and Necromancers or wiping them out entirely.

The only large group they'd come across was an army of fifteen thousand, a group that had fled Necropolis when the new leader had taken his place, for however short a time that had been. They'd taken a few hundred casualties in that battle but it was still a small price to pay for the end of the Necromancers.

He glided around the army before dropping down to retrieve his weapons and a canteen of blood. He wanted to fly out to the five armies so that his own troops could see him back in action before he returned to the now extinguished Dras Arget. This war was now a fight for the new Kings like Theoden, Aragorn and Thorin and not for aged leaders such as the Elven Lords and Lady or for the Nuuruhuine. Almost half of the Nuuruhuine would remain here to assist Aragorn and Theoden but the rest would return to Dras Arget with Harry. It was their own choice but Harry had had enough of ruling and fighting.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**That night**

He'd already visited two armies and used Archie to help him find Aragorn's main army as it besieged one of the larger towns on the hazy border between the Rhun humans' country and the Necromancers. It was getting dark and the Undead had used the low light to come out of their holes and strike at the encircling army of riders. Harry dropped straight into the middle of the battle and in seconds he'd killed the strongest of the Necromancers as well as two other weaker ones. Over five hundred of the Undead fell to the ground. There were only around five thousand in total here by the sounds of them and most seemed rather old.

The Necromancers had obviously fled across into Rhun country and raided their towns and villages for dead but evidently not found any living humans to supply them with fresh dead. He grabbed another Necromancer and clamped his incisors into his jugular vein, letting the fresh magically charged blood sweep through his body. His wings smacked out tearing through a dozen Undead who were ordered to save their master in his last moments but even the fallen bodies fully died as the last drop left the Necromancer's body.

Harry slashed through three Undead as they tried to pull a Gondorian soldier down to the ground and he helped the man up before turning to kill a few more Undead. The magic he channelled through his blades incinerating Undead flesh as they sliced into them.

Harry stayed on the ground with the soldiers for the rest of the battle, several hours at least as they worked together to wipe out everything that moved in the town. He used his blades and wings to take apart the Undead and his teeth to drink the blood of the Necromancers he came across, using that connection to turn their own Undead against each other for the few seconds that each of his victims suffered under his teeth. It was a shock for the Elves, Dwarves, Humans and even Vampire and Lamia when their enemies suddenly turned and started hacking at Undead or even Necromancers.

As the last of the Necromancers fell the troops around him went quiet, listening for more with their senses. Harry spread out his mind and felt the three other members of the Nuuruhuine there as they, too, spread out their minds searching for any remaining enemies. The place was empty.

"They're all dead." Harry announced to all around them. The gentle tone of a Gondorian horn sounded the retreat and human captains began ordering their men to set light to the hatch roofs of the buildings. Harry walked out with the humans who were now looking at him in a different light, there was a more comrade feel to their stares and a few even complimented him on his fighting style. Harry, in turn, gave out compliments to individuals and advice to others that he'd noticed during the fight.

Word obviously spread to Aragorn that Harry had arrived since he came to the edge of the camp to greet him. "You're learning, King Aragorn." Harry complimented with a respectful bow that was returned in equal measure by the young King. "You shouldn't always throw yourself into a battle."

"You do." Aragorn laughed.

"Not if my army is there to do the task. Today was slightly different." Harry stretched his wings to show his meaning. "I was getting a little rusty."

"I'd imagine you would get that way after sleeping for five hundred years." Aragorn laughed. As Harry folded his wings he revealed Norma, Mika and Anthony all with their wings folded against their backs. Their minds brushed against Harry's, glad to see him with his wings back. They were all like close brothers and sisters. That's why it hurt to ever kill any Lamia. They were all descendents of the Nuuruhuine and it was like exiling or executing a niece or nephew. "I'm glad to see you're back on your feet."

Harry chuckled. "Or wings." Harry nodded. "Either way, King Elessar of Gondor, I give to you command of the Morchaint Army until a time where we feel fit to draw them back to Morchaint." Harry said formally.

"We will of course leave a few advisors with you from the Nuuruhuine to ensure your control over our troops." Mika spoke up at Aragorn's shocked look. They'd all been talking about this last night.

"What?" Aragorn gasped. "Why?"

Harry laughed and strode forwards. He patted the almost ninety year old human on the shoulder and leant in to kiss his forehead. "There are no humans that I would trust this to other than you but if anybody is going to lead Middle-Earth into a new age of peace and cooperation it will be you."

"We're a thing of the past." Norma spoke up calmingly. "Very much a big part of the word but we don't want to rule anything. We made ourselves a part in this world but we don't want to shape it forever."

"Well put, Norma." Harry smiled at her. "Come, King Aragorn, let us talk together for a time before we leave. I believe you are in need of a bath though but I suppose we can talk while you do that."

Aragorn frowned at the jest even as Harry caught one of his guards try to cover a laugh. Harry smirked at the man as they headed inside so that Aragorn could go about getting a bath while they talked together.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Several weeks later**

Harry landed softly on the top of the tower in Dras Arget and turned to look down at his city. After the fires had finally died the chasm had been flooded with sea water and finally the plains were wiped clean of all signs of the immense battle that had just taken place there. The grass was still burned out in a lot of the places but it was coming back slowly. Within the city all the stops had been pulled out. Trees and flowers were growing in all the streets and windows frames and colourful banners flew on ropes strung between the houses so that all the streets, even the small back ones, were crisscrossed with colour.

The one thing that drew his eye as new was the flags flying over the Morchaint Council Hall. Fluttering in the reflected sunlight from the upper city were all the nations flags including, for the first time, two new ones. The official, yet old banner of the Shire lands and amidst certain scepticism the white tree of Gondor. The two new members of the Morchaint Council.

"Your city is amazing, Duke Corvil." Arwen's voice told him from where she had been standing in the middle of the open platform. Harry had ignored her so far.

"You shouldn't have walked all the way up here in your condition, Queen Arwen." Harry chided gently. "And it should be just Harry to you."

She bowed her head with a smile. "One of your Guards flew me up here. It is a wonderful experience."

Harry chuckled. "You should not be flying either. You are now four months pregnant."

"So the child has been reminding me." Arwen laughed musically.

"Come, Arwen." Harry held out his hands and stepped to the edge of the platform in the only gap between the mesh. "I shall return you to less lofty heights." She nodded and approached without shyness. Harry held her firmly and let his wings open to their full span before he stepped smoothly back out over the drop. His wings caught their weight instantly and he turned them to glide away from the buffeting winds around the sides of the tower. She barely felt a drop to start with.

He made sure to take a long way down to show her every aspect of the city he was so proud of. An eternal city that would live forever in Middle-Earth and one day be called the World-Capital.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two months later**

Harry stood in the shadows around the edge of the Council chambers as the crowd finally began to settle down. The audience seats around the outside were filled to capacity with hundreds of Morchaints, Gondorians, Rohirrim, Elves and Dwarves and even a few more Hobbits that his friends had brought back with them. In the centre sat a chair for each nation regardless of the numbers of rulers for the nation. Eight seats, one each for Morchaint, Erebor, Mirkwood, Lothlorien, Rivendell, the Shire, Rohan and Gondor. In them sat Thorin, Thranduil, Celeborn, Elrond, Sam, Theoden and lastly Aragorn. Only the Morchaint one sat empty but Harry would go down soon and sit there.

Harry had given the choice to the four Hobbits for who sat in the actual Council and it had gone between Frodo and Sam until Frodo told Sam to do it. Harry thought that Frodo planned to one day remain in Morchaint even though his three friends planned to return to their homes. Around the eight seats were a few rows of the more important people in the world. Gandalf sat in the place of privilege there since he'd never taken a seat as a full member even when Harry had offered it two thousand years ago. To his left sat Galadriel and on his right was Frodo, then Pippin and Merry. On their sides were Legolas, Gimli and most of the members of the Nuuruhuine, baring a few still commanding the army in the East while this meeting was called into place. Sitting right behind her husband was Arwen with a maid beside her since she was now two thirds of her way through her pregnancy.

Also sitting near to Elrond was an aged Hobbit that Harry had only met once when in Rivendell. Frodo's adoptive relative, Bilbo Baggins, the original captor of the Ring from evil. Harry stepped out of the shadows and his very appearance at the top of the steps drew silence through the crowd. He walked into the centre of the room and turned a full circle before nodding. "Those old enough to remember the last of these meetings may notice a few additions to the chamber however I shall start off with our returning friends."

Harry gestured to Celeborn, Thranduil and Elrond and they rose. "The Elvin Lords of the realms. Lord Celeborn, Lord of the Woods. King Thranduil of Mirkwood and Lord Elrond of Rivendell. Welcome."

They dipped their heads before sitting again. "Our returning advisors, Lady Galadriel and Gandalf the White." He nodded in their directions. "We have new members in old countries. "King Theoden of Rohan and King Thorin of the Dwarven realm. Lastly we have two new seats to honour. The Shire represented by Master Samwise Gamgee and lastly Gondor and King Elessar."

There was a brief uproar of cheers from the Gondorians in the room and Harry raised his hands to quiet them down. "Much has happened in these last few centuries and for most of you these centuries are what have counted but this last few years we have made such a change to this Middle-Earth that we can all rejoice."

He let the cheers of all nations ring through the hall for a moment before raising his hands again for silence. "With that in mind the Nuuruhuine will make an announcement. It may not surprise our older friends that we do not wish to rule in this world for any longer. Races of mortals should never be ruled by immortals. The people should change together with their leaders. With this same argument it was decided for us to sleep five hundred years ago and soon we shall do the same."

"And look what happened the last time you made that decision!" A Gondorian yelled from the top row.

"Every race has its bad eggs." Harry said bluntly. "I have the utmost confidence in my own people. They can lead themselves just as well as we could do it for them. We built this country for them to live in but now it is them that should rule it once again. Once the Nuru Noste are ready to rule we will step aside as leaders and go into our sleep when we each want to."

With that Harry sat down in the last chair and crossed his legs in a relaxed pose as muttering spread through the room. Harry had just essentially placed the Nuru Noste in the highest seat of power in Dras Arget, baring the Nuuruhuines' eternal position that was. The Nuru Noste had already accepted several Lamia into their ranks, including Peter, Dalamy, Kentar and George when they got older and by putting them in charge of Morchaint it insured that Human, Vampire and Lamia would rule side by side and Harry trusted Annette, who's mind he had seen every corner of, to make sure justice and equality always prevailed in Morchaint. The meeting went on for about an hour, all speeches from the different representatives about the need for cooperation for the future of their races. Of Elven and Dwarven aid to the human nations like in times of old.

Harry stayed in his seat as the hall began to empty and Aragorn and Theoden were the last to leave with Arwen and the rest of the Nuuruhuine apart from Alex who sat on the arm of Harry's chair. Harry rested a hand on his back as Gandalf, Galadriel, Legolas, Gimli and three other Hobbits joined them in the centre.

"Harry." Galadriel spoke up. "My son-in-law, husband and I have decided to travel west."

Harry's eyes snapped up to meet hers but he sighed. "I thought this might happen sooner or later. His eyes flickered over the room catching the confused looks on only Sam, Pippin and Merry's faces. Frodo was being guarded.

"I too am to go with them." Gandalf spoke up. "I have heard it in my sleeping mind. My own race is to depart this land and leave it in the hands of younger races."

Harry chuckled. "And what of your peoples?" Harry directed at Celeborn, Galadriel and Elrond.

"This we have discussed." Thranduil spoke up. "I am going to remain as are many of our race. We are interested in helping the humans to once again rise to their proper place. If in a few centuries we feel that we no longer need to remain we shall follow them."

"I am glad." Harry nodded.

"We leave this world for you to watch other, Harry." Galadriel smiled at him. "I have seen glimpses of the future. One of peace, one where we are allied with all the nations in Middle Earth, even from the East."

Harry smiled and let them all start to leave. Harry caught Frodo's hand just as he was about to follow Gandalf up the steps, the last to leave except for Alex and himself. "When do you plan to tell your friends that you plan to follow the Elves into the west?" Harry asked.

"Galadriel offered it to me." Frodo told him. "I have no family left here once Bilbo goes with them."

"You would always be welcome here." Alex spoke up.

Frodo nodded. "I know but I feel older than I should."

Harry stood up and knelt in front of the Hobbit. "I wish you all the happiness, Frodo."

Frodo threw himself at Harry who returned the hug warmly, kissing the Hobbit's hair gently. Nothing more needed to be said between them, Frodo knew that Harry understood.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A month later – The Shire**

Harry stood in front of the doorway to one of the small underground hovels that the Hobbits liked. It was a large place that Harry had had a team build under Sam's guidance as a gift for the Hobbit. Now a month later Harry had returned and across the garden of this place there were a hundred Hobbits watching him as he addressed the two Hobbits standing before him.

"Samwise Gamgee, you have done this world an honour that will never be forgotten, even by the Immortals of Middle-Earth. You and your family will ever be watched over and protected by my kind, by Lamia, Vampire, Elf, Dwarf and Human. Even by the Nuuruhuine themselves. You have done us an honour by helping us and in return I shall do you the honour of pronouncing you and your chosen, husband and wife." Harry smiled down at Sam and Rose Cotton. "I wish you all the happiness, Sam."

Sam smiled at him broadly before turning to his wife and kissing her. Harry offered her a bow of respect before backing away to join Alex. The two stood out rather a lot in this place not only for their height but also their wings. Frodo, Pippin and Merry joined them a few minutes later after congratulating their friend.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two months later – Minis Tirith**

Harry watched in amusement with Alex at his side as Aragorn paced anxiously along a twenty metre stretch of corridor while they waited for Arwen to give birth. Harry and Alex already knew it was over and had heard the boy's little cry and it wouldn't be long now until both mother and son were cleaned up enough to allow for visitors. Harry and Alex were only going to stay the night before they flew up the coast to the Grey Havens to meet Elrond, Galadriel, Celeborn, Gandalf, Frodo and Bilbo to see them off and to carry the news of his grandson's birth to Elrond.

Harry caught Aragorn's shoulders as he heard somebody heading for the door and turned the man in time for the doors to open. Aragorn was through them in seconds and Harry and Alex followed a few moments later in time to see the mid-wife hand Aragorn's son to him. He was sleeping but woke up at his father's astonished gasp. Alex rested a hand on his shoulder and quietly corrected the way the man was holding him.

Harry moved to a tired Arwen and rested a hand on her own hand. "Congratulations, Arwen."

He stayed put as he watched husband and wife fuss over the baby but was drawn from his own thoughts of the boy's future when Arwen spoke to him. "Harry? Do you want to hold Eldarion?" She asked him.

"Prince Eldarion." Harry smiled and accepted the small baby from his mother. Eldarion turned into Harry's warmth and Harry rocked him gently with a smile on his face.

"You'll look out for him?" Aragorn asked.

"Like my own Grandson." Harry promised. "Speaking of which, Aragorn. You son's first gift from myself and Alex is sitting in your own room. A Wyrda blade to give to him at a time of your own choosing."

Aragorn chuckled. "It will be reassuring to know it protects him."

"I thought as much." Harry nodded. He shuttered his eyes and placed a kiss to Eldarion's forehead. "Know, little one, that the Nuuruhuine watch over you and that if you ever need to wake us the knowledge of how to do it is within your mind."

Arwen stared at him for a moment before smiling. "You placed the knowledge there?"

"To ensure that he knows that we will come to his aid in the future if he ever needs it but if he doesn't then the knowledge of how to wake us will carry on through his blood to his children and their children." Harry promised. "Your family will always be safe, Aragorn. If we never meet again remember that."

Harry looked back down at the now sleeping baby and handed him to the nurse-maid to place in the cot. Aragorn embraced him while Alex kissed Arwen gently.

"Give my love to my father." Arwen requested. Harry nodded.

"And we give you three our own love." Alex told them as he embraced Aragorn and Harry kissed Arwen briefly. "Goodbye King Aragorn, Queen Arwen."

Alex's words faded away like a ripple of wind as he and Harry disappeared out of the door faster than their friends could blink.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Grey Havens – Three days later**

Harry rested an arm over Merry and Pippin's shoulders while Alex offered Sam a gentle pat on the shoulder as the five of them watched the sleek white ship slide out of the harbour. Harry could easily see Frodo, Gandalf, Bilbo, Galadriel, Celeborn and Elrond on the back of the boat watching the shore recede.

Sam, Pippin and Merry were crying rather unashamedly at this start to a new era but Harry and Alex shared a small smile. They knew they'd not heard the last of them all and when they slept they would be able to reach their minds out to them. The new era may be beginning and might be shaped by the hands of men like Aragorn but it would always be watched over by beings like Harry who could now finally rest. He'd started with everything and lost it all, gained and lost it again and again but now a nation was the proof that sometimes you just couldn't give up trying to create something to love. Now he had everything he ever wanted.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The End


End file.
